An Alaskan town saw the sun on Thursday and will next see daylight after 60 days.&nbsp;

Utqiagvik, a small town situated north of the Arctic Circle has entered into the annual period of darkness, known as polar night.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-resolves-the-mystery-of-blue-ring-nebula-reveal-stellar-missing-link-344087#:~:text=NASA's%20Jet%20Propulsion%20Laboratory%20has,perplexed%20scientists%20for%20several%20years.">NASA resolves the mystery of Blue Ring Nebula, reveal stellar missing link</a>

"Polar night is a normal phenomenon that happens every winter for Barrow (Utqiagvik), and any other towns inside the Arctic circle," said CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar.

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This occurrence happens every year in winter because of the tilt of the Earth's axis.

"This tilt makes it so that none of the Sun's disc are visible above the horizon," Chinchar added.&nbsp;

However, no sun doesn't mean that there would be complete darkness in the town as daytime hours will have periods known as civic twilight, the meteorologist explained.

"Think of what the sky looks like just before sunrise, or just after sunset," he said.&nbsp;

An Alaskan town saw the sun on Thursday and will next see daylight after 60 days. Utqiagvik, a small town situated north of the Arctic Circle has entered into the annual period of darkness, known as polar night.

An Alaskan town saw the sun on Thursday and will next see daylight after 60 days. Utqiagvik, a small town situated north of the Arctic Circle has entered into the annual period of darkness, known as polar night. Also read | NASA resolves the mystery of Blue Ring Nebula, reveal stellar missing link "Polar night is a normal phenomenon that happens every winter for Barrow (Utqiagvik), and any other towns inside the Arctic circle," said CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar. Also read | Unusual 'electron' to reveal insight into dark matter, space-time mysteries This occurrence happens every year in winter because of the tilt of the Earth's axis. "This tilt makes it so that none of the Sun's disc are visible above the horizon," Chinchar added. However, no sun doesn't mean that there would be complete darkness in the town as daytime hours will have periods known as civic twilight, the meteorologist explained. "Think of what the sky looks like just before sunrise, or just after sunset," he said.

This Alaska town will see sun after 60 days

The situation of the election in the United States continues to remain tense and the world is waiting eagerly to see the next president of the United States. Over the last several months, the world's largest economy has seen it all: from becoming the world's worst-hit coronavirus country, widespread protests, riots and violence related to racism and President Donald Trump's erratic presidency and unverified claims.

The situation of the election in the United States continues to remain tense and the world is waiting eagerly to see the next president of the United States. Over the last several months, the world's largest economy has seen it all: from becoming the world's worst-hit coronavirus country, widespread protests, riots and violence related to racism and President Donald Trump's erratic presidency and unverified claims. The record voting through postal ballots meant that the declaration of results will take a considerable amount of time and that is why even after nearly three days, we don't know who the next president would be. However, social media has kept Americans busy as the medium is helping them crack some jokes and lessen the intensity of a tightly-fought election. In a reference to the worn-out method of files getting downloaded in times when internet speed used to be slow in the era of internet explorer, an Instagram account by the name of Oatmeal shared an image of votes getting counted and time remaining is several minutes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by theoatmeal (@theoatmeal) on Nov 4, 2020 at 8:58am PST × Good morning! Looking forward to another day of this.😭#ElectionResults2020 #Elections2020 #thursdaymorning pic.twitter.com/a4FnKtCOQp — Holly Figueroa O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) November 5, 2020 × Nevada AG Aaron Ford responds to people sharing a meme joking that the Zootopia sloth is who is counting ballots in Nevada: "my friend @Bakari_Sellers tweeted about it and I told him he aint right about that." Adds "we're doing to the best we can," "it's going to take some time" pic.twitter.com/scbtNSDk3t — Cheyenne Haslett (@cheyennehaslett) November 5, 2020 × Many users also trolled Nevada, which is one of the key states that has not completed its counting, with one person sharing a video making fun of election officials and the background music running: "I don't really want to work today". View this post on Instagram Nevada left the chat A post shared by Saint Hoax (@sainthoax) on Nov 4, 2020 at 6:54pm PST × nevada after counting 1 ballot an hour pic.twitter.com/2i8JycJtLt — joe (@jxeker) November 5, 2020 × me driving to nevada to count those votes myself #Elections2020 pic.twitter.com/u6h5CBEMUt — rosina :p (@r0sinab) November 4, 2020 × The counting remains on the states of Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Alaska and since none of the contenders has an outright lead, these states will decide the next American president.

Americans share hilarious posts as election counting saga continues

Scientists fear that Alaska could soon be hit by a mega-tsunami owing to a landslide which was triggered by melting of glaciers in the region.

Even though the bigger projected timeline of the disaster to strike is within the next two decades, scientists warned that the catastrophe could strike within the next 12 months.

In an open letter written to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (ADNR) in May, a group of scientists warned of the disaster.

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While it’s difficult to ascertain the exact timeline of the disaster, its precursors are becoming increasingly evident. In Alaska’s Prince William Sound, melting has created a rocky scar called “scarp”, satellite imagery has shown.

This is indicative of gradual landslide taking place. However, if for whatever reasons, the rocks slid at once, all hell would break loose. Mostly a remote area, it is mostly visited by commercial boats.

In conversation with NASA’s Earth Observatory, Chuli Dai, a geophysicist from the Ohio State University said that due to the position of the rocks, a sudden collapse would produce “16 times more debris” and “11 times more energy” than a similar landslide in Alaska’s Lituya Bay. This is enough to trigger a mega tsunami.

In 1958, the tsunami wave witnessed is characterised by its height, often called the tallest tsunami wave for reaching the height of 525 metres, or 1,720 feet.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-osiris-rex-grabs-a-piece-of-asteroid-bennu-in-historic-mission-336773" hreflang="en">NASA's Osiris-Rex grabs a piece of asteroid Bennu in historic mission</a>

Such sudden collapses are caused by slope failure events. Scientists believe it is caused by an array of factors including hot weather causing melting, prolonged rain, among many.

After the report surfaced in May, little to no movement has been reported. According to LiveScience, the rock has been in movement for at least 50 years now.

This points to a bigger threat from climate change in general, causing such potential tsunamis around the globe. The potential tsunami in Alaska could reach heights of hundreds of feet!

Scientists fear that Alaska could soon be hit by a mega-tsunami owing to a landslide which was triggered by melting of glaciers in the region. Even though the bigger projected timeline of the disaster to strike is within the next two decades, scientists warned that the catastrophe could strike within the next 12 months.

Scientists fear that Alaska could soon be hit by a mega-tsunami owing to a landslide which was triggered by melting of glaciers in the region. Even though the bigger projected timeline of the disaster to strike is within the next two decades, scientists warned that the catastrophe could strike within the next 12 months. In an open letter written to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (ADNR) in May, a group of scientists warned of the disaster. Also read: Closest 'black hole' to earth has lost its status as one While it’s difficult to ascertain the exact timeline of the disaster, its precursors are becoming increasingly evident. In Alaska’s Prince William Sound, melting has created a rocky scar called “scarp”, satellite imagery has shown. This is indicative of gradual landslide taking place. However, if for whatever reasons, the rocks slid at once, all hell would break loose. Mostly a remote area, it is mostly visited by commercial boats. In conversation with NASA’s Earth Observatory, Chuli Dai, a geophysicist from the Ohio State University said that due to the position of the rocks, a sudden collapse would produce “16 times more debris” and “11 times more energy” than a similar landslide in Alaska’s Lituya Bay. This is enough to trigger a mega tsunami. In 1958, the tsunami wave witnessed is characterised by its height, often called the tallest tsunami wave for reaching the height of 525 metres, or 1,720 feet. Also read: NASA's Osiris-Rex grabs a piece of asteroid Bennu in historic mission Such sudden collapses are caused by slope failure events. Scientists believe it is caused by an array of factors including hot weather causing melting, prolonged rain, among many. After the report surfaced in May, little to no movement has been reported. According to LiveScience, the rock has been in movement for at least 50 years now. This points to a bigger threat from climate change in general, causing such potential tsunamis around the globe. The potential tsunami in Alaska could reach heights of hundreds of feet!

Scientists warn of a mega-tsunami along Alaskan coast as early as 12 months

October 18 in history: USA takes Alaska from Russia, and more!

The Trump administration on Monday finalized a plan to allow oil and gas drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, putting it on track to issue decades-long leases in the pristine wilderness area before a potential change in U.S. leadership.

The 19 million acre (7.7 million hectares) refuge is home to wildlife populations including Porcupine caribou and polar bears and has been off-limits to drilling for decades.

But a Republican-passed tax bill in 2017 opened the area to oil and gas leasing, a key pillar of U.S. President Donald Trump's energy agenda to expand fossil fuel production on public lands.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/controversial-alaska-hunting-techniques-to-return-as-bans-reversed-311513" hreflang="en">Controversial Alaska hunting techniques to return as bans reversed</a>

The Interior Department could hold a sale of oil and gas leases in ANWR by the end of the year, Secretary David Bernhardt said on a conference call with reporters.

"I'm not really driven by the political dynamics" of the Nov. 3 presidential election, he said.

Polls show Trump is trailing challenger Joe Biden, a Democrat.

If found, oil production could begin in ANWR in about eight years, Bernhardt said, with activity lasting about 50 years.

Environmentalists and Democratic lawmakers have long fought to block the pristine area from development of oil rigs, pipelines and roads. Green groups said it was particularly unjustified at a time of slumping oil prices.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/trump-administration-ends-ban-on-killing-alaska-bear-cubs-wolf-pups-304684" hreflang="en">Trump administration ends ban on killing Alaska bear cubs, wolf pups</a>

"It's absolutely bonkers to endanger this beautiful place during a worldwide oil glut," said Kristen Monsell, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity.

Asked about how the low price of oil might affect an ANWR lease sale, Bernhardt said potential investors were not focused on the spot price of energy when considering long-term projects.

Industry interest in ANWR is unclear, and several big U.S. banks have said recently they will not finance oil and gas projects in the Arctic region. ANWR has been tested only once for the potential to extract fossil fuels.

Bernhardt said companies would bid on leases despite a lack of seismic testing that is a precursor to drilling.

Alaska's governor and a congressional delegation applauded the decision, saying it would create jobs and boost the state's economy.

"The vision of Secretary Bernhardt and President Donald J. Trump will lead to the responsible development of Alaska's abundant resources, create new jobs, support economic growth and prosperity, and most importantly, retain well into the future Alaska’s critical role in our Nation's energy policy,” Alaska Governor Michael Dunleavy said in a statement.

The Trump administration on Monday finalized a plan to allow oil and gas drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, putting it on track to issue decades-long leases in the pristine wilderness area before a potential change in U.

The Trump administration on Monday finalized a plan to allow oil and gas drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, putting it on track to issue decades-long leases in the pristine wilderness area before a potential change in U.S. leadership. The 19 million acre (7.7 million hectares) refuge is home to wildlife populations including Porcupine caribou and polar bears and has been off-limits to drilling for decades. But a Republican-passed tax bill in 2017 opened the area to oil and gas leasing, a key pillar of U.S. President Donald Trump's energy agenda to expand fossil fuel production on public lands. Also read: Controversial Alaska hunting techniques to return as bans reversed The Interior Department could hold a sale of oil and gas leases in ANWR by the end of the year, Secretary David Bernhardt said on a conference call with reporters. "I'm not really driven by the political dynamics" of the Nov. 3 presidential election, he said. Polls show Trump is trailing challenger Joe Biden, a Democrat. If found, oil production could begin in ANWR in about eight years, Bernhardt said, with activity lasting about 50 years. Environmentalists and Democratic lawmakers have long fought to block the pristine area from development of oil rigs, pipelines and roads. Green groups said it was particularly unjustified at a time of slumping oil prices. Also read: Trump administration ends ban on killing Alaska bear cubs, wolf pups "It's absolutely bonkers to endanger this beautiful place during a worldwide oil glut," said Kristen Monsell, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. Asked about how the low price of oil might affect an ANWR lease sale, Bernhardt said potential investors were not focused on the spot price of energy when considering long-term projects. Industry interest in ANWR is unclear, and several big U.S. banks have said recently they will not finance oil and gas projects in the Arctic region. ANWR has been tested only once for the potential to extract fossil fuels. Bernhardt said companies would bid on leases despite a lack of seismic testing that is a precursor to drilling. Alaska's governor and a congressional delegation applauded the decision, saying it would create jobs and boost the state's economy. "The vision of Secretary Bernhardt and President Donald J. Trump will lead to the responsible development of Alaska's abundant resources, create new jobs, support economic growth and prosperity, and most importantly, retain well into the future Alaska’s critical role in our Nation's energy policy,” Alaska Governor Michael Dunleavy said in a statement.

Trump administration approves oil drilling in Alaska wildlife refuge

A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the Alaskan peninsula, triggering a tsunami warning for areas within 200 miles of the epicentre.

The shallow quake hit at 0612 GMT Wednesday about 500 miles southwest of Anchorage, and around 60 miles south-southeast of the remote settlement of Perryville, the US Geological Survey said.

A tsunami warning was in effect for the Alaskan peninsula and south Alaska.

"For other US and Canadian Pacific coasts in North America, the level of tsunami danger is being evaluated," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

The quake was followed by several aftershocks, the strongest measuring 5.7.

There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The tremor appeared to be a subduction zone quake, where two tectonic plates converge, a seismologist said.

Alaska is part of the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire. It&nbsp;was hit by a 9.2-magnitude earthquake in March 1964, the strongest ever recorded in North America. It devastated Anchorage and unleashed a tsunami that slammed the Gulf of Alaska, the US west coast, and Hawaii.

More than 250 people were killed by the quake and the tsunami.

A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the Alaskan peninsula, triggering a tsunami warning for areas within 200 miles of the epicentre. The shallow quake hit at 0612 GMT Wednesday about 500 miles southwest of Anchorage, and around 60 miles south-southeast of the remote settlement of Perryville, the US Geological Survey said.

A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the Alaskan peninsula, triggering a tsunami warning for areas within 200 miles of the epicentre. The shallow quake hit at 0612 GMT Wednesday about 500 miles southwest of Anchorage, and around 60 miles south-southeast of the remote settlement of Perryville, the US Geological Survey said. A tsunami warning was in effect for the Alaskan peninsula and south Alaska. "For other US and Canadian Pacific coasts in North America, the level of tsunami danger is being evaluated," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. The quake was followed by several aftershocks, the strongest measuring 5.7. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The tremor appeared to be a subduction zone quake, where two tectonic plates converge, a seismologist said. Alaska is part of the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire. It was hit by a 9.2-magnitude earthquake in March 1964, the strongest ever recorded in North America. It devastated Anchorage and unleashed a tsunami that slammed the Gulf of Alaska, the US west coast, and Hawaii. More than 250 people were killed by the quake and the tsunami.

Tsunami warning as 7.8 magnitude earthquake hits off Alaska

A five-year-old girl's heartwarming video in which she has urged people to stay at their homes and wash hands has gone viral and&nbsp;earned the praise of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau.

"I’m sorry if you can’t go to your play dates,"&nbsp;Nova Knight from Alaska, United States, said in the video.&nbsp;

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"Don’t go anywhere. And wash your hands. I’m serious."

The video has been seen more than 18,000 times.&nbsp;

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Nova, who lives with her parents Roba and Rebecca Knight and two-year-old brother, has shared some advice for people to wash hands, which includes watching this video as a reminder of what to do to stay safe from the virus. &nbsp;&nbsp;

"I’m really, really serious, so you should do this video every single day,"&nbsp;Nova said.&nbsp;

Nova's mother said that the two-year-old decided to make the video after her aunt sent her video in which Trudeau thanked children in Canada for not going on their play dates and for doing their bit to contain the spread of the virus.

"And then she actually asked me, 'Will you put me on Facebook Live? I have something I want to say,'" the mother said.&nbsp;

"I was like, well, you’re not wearing pants so I'm not going to put you on Facebook Live but I will tape a video."

A five-year-old girl's heartwarming video in which she has urged people to stay at their homes and wash hands has gone viral and earned the praise of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau.

A five-year-old girl's heartwarming video in which she has urged people to stay at their homes and wash hands has gone viral and earned the praise of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau. "I’m sorry if you can’t go to your play dates," Nova Knight from Alaska, United States, said in the video. × "Don’t go anywhere. And wash your hands. I’m serious." The video has been seen more than 18,000 times. Also read | Singapore teachers stop teaching via Zoom app after intruders gatecrash online session Nova, who lives with her parents Roba and Rebecca Knight and two-year-old brother, has shared some advice for people to wash hands, which includes watching this video as a reminder of what to do to stay safe from the virus. "I’m really, really serious, so you should do this video every single day," Nova said. Nova's mother said that the two-year-old decided to make the video after her aunt sent her video in which Trudeau thanked children in Canada for not going on their play dates and for doing their bit to contain the spread of the virus. "And then she actually asked me, 'Will you put me on Facebook Live? I have something I want to say,'" the mother said. "I was like, well, you’re not wearing pants so I'm not going to put you on Facebook Live but I will tape a video."

Five-year-old Alaskan girl's video urging people to stay home goes viral, earns praise of Canadian PM

A Utah man who was stuck in Alaska wilderness has been&nbsp;rescued nearly three weeks after his house was burnt down and had almost no food left to survive.&nbsp;

Tyson Steele, 30, was rescued from his remote homestead in the Susitna Valley on Thursday morning, as per a news release by Alaska State Troopers.&nbsp;

A video showed that Steele was waving to a helicopter and wrote SOS in capital letters in the snow.

The 30-year-old later said that he survived on the remnants of canned rations and peanut butter for 22 days after his house was burnt in a fire. He also said that he was sleeping in a snow cave and makeshift shelter that he built around his wooden stove.

Steele told troopers that he earlier living in a lightweight frame, covered in plastic tarps. He also admitted that the fire started because of his "hasty" mistake.&nbsp;

In order to kindle fire, he put a large piece of cardboard into his wooden stove. A flaming piece landed on the roof.&nbsp;

He added that when he woke up in the middle of the night on December 17 or 18 he realized that the plastic was melting.&nbsp;

When he went out of his homestead, he saw that "the whole roof's on fire".

Steele also lost Phil, his dog in the fire.&nbsp;

However, Steele immediately started figuring out a plan for survival. He realised that he has enough canned goods, beans and peanut butter that will last for a month.&nbsp;

The authorities also said that Steele lost his phone in the fire. Steele hoped that his friends or family would have a welfare check for him after they realise that they haven't heard from him for a long time.

Steele slept in a snow cave and later made a better shelter from tarps and lumber.&nbsp;

Steele also said that it was so cold that his urine would "freeze".&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A Utah man who was stuck in Alaska wilderness has been rescued nearly three weeks after his house was burnt down and had almost no food left to survive. Tyson Steele, 30, was rescued from his remote homestead in the Susitna Valley on Thursday morning, as per a news release by Alaska State Troopers.

A Utah man who was stuck in Alaska wilderness has been rescued nearly three weeks after his house was burnt down and had almost no food left to survive. Tyson Steele, 30, was rescued from his remote homestead in the Susitna Valley on Thursday morning, as per a news release by Alaska State Troopers. A video showed that Steele was waving to a helicopter and wrote SOS in capital letters in the snow. The 30-year-old later said that he survived on the remnants of canned rations and peanut butter for 22 days after his house was burnt in a fire. He also said that he was sleeping in a snow cave and makeshift shelter that he built around his wooden stove. Steele told troopers that he earlier living in a lightweight frame, covered in plastic tarps. He also admitted that the fire started because of his "hasty" mistake. In order to kindle fire, he put a large piece of cardboard into his wooden stove. A flaming piece landed on the roof. He added that when he woke up in the middle of the night on December 17 or 18 he realized that the plastic was melting. When he went out of his homestead, he saw that "the whole roof's on fire". Steele also lost Phil, his dog in the fire. However, Steele immediately started figuring out a plan for survival. He realised that he has enough canned goods, beans and peanut butter that will last for a month. The authorities also said that Steele lost his phone in the fire. Steele hoped that his friends or family would have a welfare check for him after they realise that they haven't heard from him for a long time. Steele slept in a snow cave and later made a better shelter from tarps and lumber. Steele also said that it was so cold that his urine would "freeze".

Utah man in Alaska wilderness rescued 22 days after his home burnt down

Alaska will soon close a year that is shaping up as its hottest on record, with glaciers in the "Frontier State" melting at record or near-record levels, pouring waters into rising global seas, scientists said after taking fall measurements.

Lemon Creek Glacier in Juneau, where records go back to the 1940s, had its second consecutive year of record mass loss, with 3 meters erased from the surface, U.S. Geological Survey glaciologist Louis Sass told Reuters.

Melt went all the way up to the summit, said Sass, one of the experts who travel to benchmark glaciers to take measurements in the fall.

“That’s a really bad sign for a glacier,” he said, noting that high-altitude melt means there is no accumulation of snow to compact into ice and help offset lower-elevation losses.

At Wolverine Glacier on the Kenai Peninsula south of Anchorage, loss was the second highest in a record that goes back to the 1960s. Sass said it failed to match the record set in 2004 only because so much of the glacier had already melted.

“The lower part’s completely gone now,” he said.

Drastic melting was also reported at Kenai Fjords National Park, which former President Barack Obama once visited to call attention to climate change. There, Bear Glacier, a popular tourist spot, retreated by nearly a kilometer in just 11 months, according to August measurements by the National Park Service.

“It’s almost like you popped it and it started to deflate,” said Nate Lewis, a Seward-based wilderness guide who takes travelers into the new lake that has formed at the foot of the shrinking glacier.

Even one of the few Alaska glaciers that had been advancing, Taku just southeast of the city of Juneau, is now losing ice at a fast clip.

Particularly ominous is the high altitude at which Taku is melting, said Mauri Pelto, who heads the North Cascades Glacier Climate Project. This year, the summer melt reached as high as 1,450 meters, 25 meters above the previous high-altitude record set just last year, he said.

Casting off chunks

Now that it is retreating, Taku is expected to start casting off big ice chunks, increasing Alaska’s already significant contribution to rising sea levels, according to a study co-authored by Sass and Shad O’Neel, a glaciologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. The study is scheduled to be presented at the annual conference of the American Geologic Union next week in San Francisco.

Alaska recorded its warmest month ever in July and the trend has continued.

"Alaska is on pace to break their record for warmest year unless December is dramatically cooler than forecasted," Brian Brettschneider, a climatologist with the University of Alaska Fairbanks' International Arctic Research Center, said in a Dec. 1 tweet.

Alaska’s glaciers account for far less than 1 percent of the world’s land ice. But their melt contributes roughly 7 percent of the water that is raising the world’s sea levels, according a 2018 study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters and co-authored by O’Neel.

There are also local impacts. Scientists say glacial melt affects salmon-spawning streams and harms marine fish and animal habitats. It is creating new lakes in the voids where ice used to be, and outburst floods from those lakes are happening more frequently, scientists say.

Changes in the glaciers and the ecosystems they feed has been so fast that they are hard to track, said O' Neel at USGS, who measured the melt at Wolverine Glacier last month. “Everything’s been pretty haywire lately.”

Alaska will soon close a year that is shaping up as its hottest on record, with glaciers in the "Frontier State" melting at record or near-record levels, pouring waters into rising global seas, scientists said after taking fall measurements.

Alaska will soon close a year that is shaping up as its hottest on record, with glaciers in the "Frontier State" melting at record or near-record levels, pouring waters into rising global seas, scientists said after taking fall measurements. Lemon Creek Glacier in Juneau, where records go back to the 1940s, had its second consecutive year of record mass loss, with 3 meters erased from the surface, U.S. Geological Survey glaciologist Louis Sass told Reuters. Melt went all the way up to the summit, said Sass, one of the experts who travel to benchmark glaciers to take measurements in the fall. “That’s a really bad sign for a glacier,” he said, noting that high-altitude melt means there is no accumulation of snow to compact into ice and help offset lower-elevation losses. At Wolverine Glacier on the Kenai Peninsula south of Anchorage, loss was the second highest in a record that goes back to the 1960s. Sass said it failed to match the record set in 2004 only because so much of the glacier had already melted. “The lower part’s completely gone now,” he said. Drastic melting was also reported at Kenai Fjords National Park, which former President Barack Obama once visited to call attention to climate change. There, Bear Glacier, a popular tourist spot, retreated by nearly a kilometer in just 11 months, according to August measurements by the National Park Service. “It’s almost like you popped it and it started to deflate,” said Nate Lewis, a Seward-based wilderness guide who takes travelers into the new lake that has formed at the foot of the shrinking glacier. Even one of the few Alaska glaciers that had been advancing, Taku just southeast of the city of Juneau, is now losing ice at a fast clip. Particularly ominous is the high altitude at which Taku is melting, said Mauri Pelto, who heads the North Cascades Glacier Climate Project. This year, the summer melt reached as high as 1,450 meters, 25 meters above the previous high-altitude record set just last year, he said. Casting off chunks Now that it is retreating, Taku is expected to start casting off big ice chunks, increasing Alaska’s already significant contribution to rising sea levels, according to a study co-authored by Sass and Shad O’Neel, a glaciologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. The study is scheduled to be presented at the annual conference of the American Geologic Union next week in San Francisco. Alaska recorded its warmest month ever in July and the trend has continued. "Alaska is on pace to break their record for warmest year unless December is dramatically cooler than forecasted," Brian Brettschneider, a climatologist with the University of Alaska Fairbanks' International Arctic Research Center, said in a Dec. 1 tweet. Alaska’s glaciers account for far less than 1 percent of the world’s land ice. But their melt contributes roughly 7 percent of the water that is raising the world’s sea levels, according a 2018 study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters and co-authored by O’Neel. There are also local impacts. Scientists say glacial melt affects salmon-spawning streams and harms marine fish and animal habitats. It is creating new lakes in the voids where ice used to be, and outburst floods from those lakes are happening more frequently, scientists say. Changes in the glaciers and the ecosystems they feed has been so fast that they are hard to track, said O' Neel at USGS, who measured the melt at Wolverine Glacier last month. “Everything’s been pretty haywire lately.”

Disappearing frontier: Alaska's glaciers retreating at record pace

Donald Trump on Wednesday defended the legacy of 15th-century explorer Christopher Columbus, who is traditionally seen as the first European to arrive in the New World and who is sometimes accused of being responsible for the genocide of indigenous Americans.

"On Monday we paid tribute to the Italian explorer who led a voyage of discovery to the New World, a gentleman known&nbsp;as Christopher Columbus," the US president said at the beginning of his press conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

"To me, it will always be called Columbus Day," he said. "Some people don't like that -- I do."

Trump was referring to the city of Washington's recent decision to re-name the holiday celebrated on the second Monday of October from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day.

The city councilman behind the name change has said Columbus, who was born in present-day Italy but sailed on behalf of Spain, "colonised, mutilated, and massacred thousands of Indigenous People in the Americas" and "never set foot on the shores of the current United States."

States such as Maine, Vermont, New Mexico, Alaska and Hawaii have already re-named the holiday to celebrate indigenous communities who were already living in the Americas when Columbus and his three ships arrived in the Caribbean in 1492.

But the day is also seen as a celebration of the Italian-American community, which counts at least 16 million members, according to the president.

"I think the bonds between Italy and the United States have never been more solid," Trump said Wednesday. "I have so many Italian friends. I can't tell you how many Italian friends."

His Italian counterpart Mattarella offered also offered praise for Columbus, saying the sailor "opened up new horizons, got to know and connected continents which ignored one another."

"Based on the role of the US in the world, it seems to me that he did a good job back then," Mattarella said.

Trump has regularly decried efforts at "political correctness," for example insisting on saying "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays," which some see as more inclusive.

Donald Trump on Wednesday defended the legacy of 15th-century explorer Christopher Columbus, who is traditionally seen as the first European to arrive in the New World and who is sometimes accused of being responsible for the genocide of indigenous Americans.

Donald Trump on Wednesday defended the legacy of 15th-century explorer Christopher Columbus, who is traditionally seen as the first European to arrive in the New World and who is sometimes accused of being responsible for the genocide of indigenous Americans. "On Monday we paid tribute to the Italian explorer who led a voyage of discovery to the New World, a gentleman known as Christopher Columbus," the US president said at the beginning of his press conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella. "To me, it will always be called Columbus Day," he said. "Some people don't like that -- I do." Trump was referring to the city of Washington's recent decision to re-name the holiday celebrated on the second Monday of October from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day. The city councilman behind the name change has said Columbus, who was born in present-day Italy but sailed on behalf of Spain, "colonised, mutilated, and massacred thousands of Indigenous People in the Americas" and "never set foot on the shores of the current United States." States such as Maine, Vermont, New Mexico, Alaska and Hawaii have already re-named the holiday to celebrate indigenous communities who were already living in the Americas when Columbus and his three ships arrived in the Caribbean in 1492. But the day is also seen as a celebration of the Italian-American community, which counts at least 16 million members, according to the president. "I think the bonds between Italy and the United States have never been more solid," Trump said Wednesday. "I have so many Italian friends. I can't tell you how many Italian friends." His Italian counterpart Mattarella offered also offered praise for Columbus, saying the sailor "opened up new horizons, got to know and connected continents which ignored one another." "Based on the role of the US in the world, it seems to me that he did a good job back then," Mattarella said. Trump has regularly decried efforts at "political correctness," for example insisting on saying "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays," which some see as more inclusive.

Donald Trump prefers 'Columbus Day' over 'Indigenous Peoples' Day'

Victor, a nine-year-old white-tailed eagle, has been enlisted to raise awareness of climate change with spectacular images of him soaring over the peaks in his Alpine home which has already been hard hit by the rise in global temperatures.

Victor the eagle's bird's eye view of Alps raises awareness of climate change

A man gathering firewood in Alaska discovered a bottle with a handwritten message inside wishing the finder "happy sailing" more than 50 years after it was dropped into the sea by a Russian sailor.

"Sincere greetings! From<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/chechen-women-go-places-with-female-only-taxi-service-225959&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi05dLbjo_kAhXx4XMBHfi0CSYQFjAFegQIDBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3O32uCuXo6bDlZehRTt6hz"> the Russian Far East Fleet mother ship VRXF Sulak</a>," it read. "We wish you good health and long years of life and happy sailing. 20 June 1969."

Tyler Ivanoff, a teacher's aide in Shishmaref, Alaska, spotted the bottle on the shore near his village and pried off the plastic stopper with his teeth.

"It was still dry on the inside and still smelled like wine or whatever, old alcohol. The note was dry," he told the Nome Nugget newspaper.&nbsp;

Ivanoff posted a picture of the bottle and the note on Facebook on August 5.

But the yarn doesn't end there.

Rossiya 1, a Russian television network, tracked it by its return address in Vladivostok to a retired Soviet ship captain now living in Crimea.

Anatoly Botsanenko, interviewed by the station in a naval uniform, said he served on the Sulak in 1969 when he was 35.

Peering at the message on the reporter's smartphone, Botsanenko said, "That's not my handwriting." But he then recognized the return address as his old home in Vladivostok.

"It's pretty cool how a small photo grew into a story," Ivanoff posted on Facebook.

A man gathering firewood in Alaska discovered a bottle with a handwritten message inside wishing the finder "happy sailing" more than 50 years after it was dropped into the sea by a Russian sailor.

A man gathering firewood in Alaska discovered a bottle with a handwritten message inside wishing the finder "happy sailing" more than 50 years after it was dropped into the sea by a Russian sailor. "Sincere greetings! From the Russian Far East Fleet mother ship VRXF Sulak," it read. "We wish you good health and long years of life and happy sailing. 20 June 1969." Tyler Ivanoff, a teacher's aide in Shishmaref, Alaska, spotted the bottle on the shore near his village and pried off the plastic stopper with his teeth. "It was still dry on the inside and still smelled like wine or whatever, old alcohol. The note was dry," he told the Nome Nugget newspaper. Ivanoff posted a picture of the bottle and the note on Facebook on August 5. But the yarn doesn't end there. Rossiya 1, a Russian television network, tracked it by its return address in Vladivostok to a retired Soviet ship captain now living in Crimea. Anatoly Botsanenko, interviewed by the station in a naval uniform, said he served on the Sulak in 1969 when he was 35. Peering at the message on the reporter's smartphone, Botsanenko said, "That's not my handwriting." But he then recognized the return address as his old home in Vladivostok. "It's pretty cool how a small photo grew into a story," Ivanoff posted on Facebook.

Russian sailor's message in bottle found 50 years later in Alaska

Europe heatwave: July 2019 is the hottest ever month, Temperature records tumbled across Europe during late July's heatwave Watch video to know more.

Europe heatwave: July 2019 is the hottest ever month

Adventure junkie and host of 'Man vs Wild'&nbsp;Bear Grylls on Saturday reflected on his experience with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former United States President Barack Obama and said it was really heartening to see such powerful men standing up for protecting the environment.

In an exclusive interview just two days ahead of the premiere of the special episode with the Prime Minister, Grylls shared his experience of interacting with both 'iconic leaders'.

"I have had a huge privilege of taking President Obama on a trip to Alaska a few years ago to show him the effects of climate change close up. They were similar, in the sense of being iconic global world leaders, but (trips were in) different terrains. Alaska was very cold, but where we went with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-to-feature-in-man-vs-wild-episode-with-bear-grylls-239186">Prime Minister Modi was a rainforest</a>, hot and humid. What was similar was that they were there for the same purpose- for driving this message of we have to protect the environment. We have got to back big conservation projects and look after our world," he said.&nbsp;

It was in the year 2016 when Grylls had filmed an episode of his show with Obama in Alaska.

Watch: PM Modi in Man vs Wild - Has Modi joined the cool club?

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"For me it was really heartening to see such powerful men like Obama and Modi stand up and say together we've got to do this, we have the power to do this. Especially India, it is now almost the largest country in the world, the biggest democracy on the planet and such a strong spirit always in India, where people want to do the right thing," he said.

The show will be a frank and freewheeling journey that will throw light on wildlife conservation, highlighting issues related to environmental change.

Modi stepped into the wild to raise awareness about the environment and animal conservation.

Believing that protecting the environment and conservation is a key role which every human being has to play, Grylls said it is just not about one country but an initiative we must take up collectively.

"It's not one country, it's all of us. I think protecting our environment and conservation is such a key thing that all of us have to do. I was there for that purpose, to try and say listen, together we can do something good here," he added.

Last month, Grylls had shared a 45-second promo of the special episode on Twitter in which Modi is seen interacting with him, riding a dingy and putting together a spear.

"You are the most important man in India. My job is to protect you," Grylls said in the video, covering the Prime Minister's shoulder with a jacket.&nbsp;

Shot in the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, Man Vs Wild With Bear Grylls and Prime Minister Modi will be broadcast on August 12 at 9 pm and will be showcased in 180 countries around the world.

Adventure junkie and host of 'Man vs Wild' Bear Grylls on Saturday reflected on his experience with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former United States President Barack Obama and said it was really heartening to see such powerful men standing up for protecting the environment.

Adventure junkie and host of 'Man vs Wild' Bear Grylls on Saturday reflected on his experience with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former United States President Barack Obama and said it was really heartening to see such powerful men standing up for protecting the environment. In an exclusive interview just two days ahead of the premiere of the special episode with the Prime Minister, Grylls shared his experience of interacting with both 'iconic leaders'. "I have had a huge privilege of taking President Obama on a trip to Alaska a few years ago to show him the effects of climate change close up. They were similar, in the sense of being iconic global world leaders, but (trips were in) different terrains. Alaska was very cold, but where we went with Prime Minister Modi was a rainforest, hot and humid. What was similar was that they were there for the same purpose- for driving this message of we have to protect the environment. We have got to back big conservation projects and look after our world," he said. It was in the year 2016 when Grylls had filmed an episode of his show with Obama in Alaska. Watch: PM Modi in Man vs Wild - Has Modi joined the cool club? × "For me it was really heartening to see such powerful men like Obama and Modi stand up and say together we've got to do this, we have the power to do this. Especially India, it is now almost the largest country in the world, the biggest democracy on the planet and such a strong spirit always in India, where people want to do the right thing," he said. The show will be a frank and freewheeling journey that will throw light on wildlife conservation, highlighting issues related to environmental change. Modi stepped into the wild to raise awareness about the environment and animal conservation. Believing that protecting the environment and conservation is a key role which every human being has to play, Grylls said it is just not about one country but an initiative we must take up collectively. "It's not one country, it's all of us. I think protecting our environment and conservation is such a key thing that all of us have to do. I was there for that purpose, to try and say listen, together we can do something good here," he added. Last month, Grylls had shared a 45-second promo of the special episode on Twitter in which Modi is seen interacting with him, riding a dingy and putting together a spear. "You are the most important man in India. My job is to protect you," Grylls said in the video, covering the Prime Minister's shoulder with a jacket. Shot in the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, Man Vs Wild With Bear Grylls and Prime Minister Modi will be broadcast on August 12 at 9 pm and will be showcased in 180 countries around the world.

Ahead of 'Man vs Wild' episode with PM, Bear Grylls reflects on his experiences with Narendra Modi, Barack Obama

July 2019 now stands as Alaska’s&nbsp;hottest&nbsp;month&nbsp;on record, the latest benchmark in a long-term warming trend with ominous repercussions ranging from rapidly vanishing summer sea ice and melting glaciers to raging wildfires and deadly chaos for marine life.

July's statewide average temperature rose to 14.5 degrees Celsius, a level that for denizens of the Lower 48 states might seem cool enough but is actually 5.4 degrees above normal and nearly a full degree higher than&nbsp;Alaska's&nbsp;previous record-hot month.

The new high was officially declared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in its&nbsp;monthly climate report, released on Wednesday.

More significantly, July was the 12th consecutive&nbsp;month&nbsp;in which average temperatures were above normal nearly every day, said Brian Brettschneider, a scientist with the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Of&nbsp;Alaska's&nbsp;10 warmest&nbsp;months on record, seven have now occurred since 2004.

''You can always have a random kind of warm&nbsp;month, season or even year,'' Brettschneider said. ''But when it happens year after year after year after year after year, then statistically it fails the test of randomness and it then becomes a trend.''

Alaska, like other parts of the far north, is warming at least twice as fast as the planet as a whole, research shows. And over the past 12months, Brettschneder said, that warming has crossed a threshold – shifting Alaska from an environment with average temperatures below freezing to above freezing.

It used to be that Alaska was generally a frozen state, he said, adding, ''Now we're an unfrozen state.''

Runoff from accelerated melting of glaciers and high-altitude snowfields sent some rivers to near or above flood stage in early July, despite a drought gripping much of the state, including the world's largest temperate rain forest in southeastern Alaska.

Sea ice, which has been running at record or near-record lows since spring across the Arctic, completely vanished from waters off Alaska by the start of August. The nearest stretch of ice this summer, said ACCAP climate scientist Rick Thoman, lies about 150 miles (240 km) north of Kaktovik, a village above the Arctic Circle on the northeastern edge of Alaska.

No ice for walruses

The effect on Pacific walruses is particularly acute.

Walruses normally perch on the floating ice to rest while diving for food and to take care of their newborn calves. Now, with no ice in sight, the walruses have crowded onto the Chukchi Sea shoreline earlier in the year than at any time on record, according to the US&nbsp;Fish and Wildlife Service.

Thousands of walruses – almost all adult females and their young calves – congregated by July 25 on a Chukchi Sea beach near the Inupiat village of Point Lay. Walruses have been coming ashore there almost every year since 2007, then a record-low Arctic ice year, but they have rarely been forced ashore before autumn.

Beach crowding can be dangerous for the large, tusked creatures. If they are spooked by noise or the appearance of a predator, they might stampede into the water, trampling younger and smaller animals to death.

They are not the only marine mammals suffering through the hot Alaska summer.

Thirty-two dead grey whales have been found in Alaska waters this year, six of them in the Bering Strait region or the Chukchi Sea off northwestern Alaska, said Julie Speegle, an NOAA spokeswoman in Juneau. As of mid-July, 137 dead seals had been found on Bering Strait-area beaches, Speegle said.

Seabird carcasses are littering beaches in what has shaped up as the fifth consecutive year of large bird die-offs in Alaska.

High numbers of salmon, apparently overcome by the heat before getting the chance to spawn, have been found floating dead in rivers and streams around western Alaska.

The warming trend has been uncomfortable for humans as well.

Fueled in part by the heat, wildfires across the state have burned more than 2.4 million acres (970,000 hectares) as of early August, spewing smoke and soot that has fouled the air quality of several cities and regions. The smoke pollution poses an unusual quandary for sweltering Alaskans, most of whom live without air conditioning.

“When it’s hot and smoky, Alaska doesn’t have a good way to cope with that,” said Thoman, the ACCP climate scientist whose hometown of Fairbanks was particularly hard hit by wildfire smoke. “Open your windows and you get smoked up. Keep your windows closed and you get hot.”

In Anchorage, where temperatures reached a record daytime high of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 degrees Celsius) last&nbsp;month, Brettschneider had a similar take.

“I tell people we’re not built for heat. Our houses are built to store heat,” he said.

July 2019 now stands as Alaska’s hottest month on record, the latest benchmark in a long-term warming trend with ominous repercussions ranging from rapidly vanishing summer sea ice and melting glaciers to raging wildfires and deadly chaos for marine life.

July 2019 now stands as Alaska’s hottest month on record, the latest benchmark in a long-term warming trend with ominous repercussions ranging from rapidly vanishing summer sea ice and melting glaciers to raging wildfires and deadly chaos for marine life. July's statewide average temperature rose to 14.5 degrees Celsius, a level that for denizens of the Lower 48 states might seem cool enough but is actually 5.4 degrees above normal and nearly a full degree higher than Alaska's previous record-hot month. The new high was officially declared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in its monthly climate report, released on Wednesday. More significantly, July was the 12th consecutive month in which average temperatures were above normal nearly every day, said Brian Brettschneider, a scientist with the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Of Alaska's 10 warmest months on record, seven have now occurred since 2004. ''You can always have a random kind of warm month, season or even year,'' Brettschneider said. ''But when it happens year after year after year after year after year, then statistically it fails the test of randomness and it then becomes a trend.'' Alaska, like other parts of the far north, is warming at least twice as fast as the planet as a whole, research shows. And over the past 12months, Brettschneder said, that warming has crossed a threshold – shifting Alaska from an environment with average temperatures below freezing to above freezing. It used to be that Alaska was generally a frozen state, he said, adding, ''Now we're an unfrozen state.'' Runoff from accelerated melting of glaciers and high-altitude snowfields sent some rivers to near or above flood stage in early July, despite a drought gripping much of the state, including the world's largest temperate rain forest in southeastern Alaska. Sea ice, which has been running at record or near-record lows since spring across the Arctic, completely vanished from waters off Alaska by the start of August. The nearest stretch of ice this summer, said ACCAP climate scientist Rick Thoman, lies about 150 miles (240 km) north of Kaktovik, a village above the Arctic Circle on the northeastern edge of Alaska. No ice for walruses The effect on Pacific walruses is particularly acute. Walruses normally perch on the floating ice to rest while diving for food and to take care of their newborn calves. Now, with no ice in sight, the walruses have crowded onto the Chukchi Sea shoreline earlier in the year than at any time on record, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Thousands of walruses – almost all adult females and their young calves – congregated by July 25 on a Chukchi Sea beach near the Inupiat village of Point Lay. Walruses have been coming ashore there almost every year since 2007, then a record-low Arctic ice year, but they have rarely been forced ashore before autumn. Beach crowding can be dangerous for the large, tusked creatures. If they are spooked by noise or the appearance of a predator, they might stampede into the water, trampling younger and smaller animals to death. They are not the only marine mammals suffering through the hot Alaska summer. Thirty-two dead grey whales have been found in Alaska waters this year, six of them in the Bering Strait region or the Chukchi Sea off northwestern Alaska, said Julie Speegle, an NOAA spokeswoman in Juneau. As of mid-July, 137 dead seals had been found on Bering Strait-area beaches, Speegle said. Seabird carcasses are littering beaches in what has shaped up as the fifth consecutive year of large bird die-offs in Alaska. High numbers of salmon, apparently overcome by the heat before getting the chance to spawn, have been found floating dead in rivers and streams around western Alaska. The warming trend has been uncomfortable for humans as well. Fueled in part by the heat, wildfires across the state have burned more than 2.4 million acres (970,000 hectares) as of early August, spewing smoke and soot that has fouled the air quality of several cities and regions. The smoke pollution poses an unusual quandary for sweltering Alaskans, most of whom live without air conditioning. “When it’s hot and smoky, Alaska doesn’t have a good way to cope with that,” said Thoman, the ACCP climate scientist whose hometown of Fairbanks was particularly hard hit by wildfire smoke. “Open your windows and you get smoked up. Keep your windows closed and you get hot.” In Anchorage, where temperatures reached a record daytime high of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 degrees Celsius) last month, Brettschneider had a similar take. “I tell people we’re not built for heat. Our houses are built to store heat,” he said.

Alaska records warmest month ever in July

Temperatures in Alaska's largest city Anchorage have soared to a sweltering all-time record of 90 degrees Fahrenheit as a heat wave grips the US state which straddles the Arctic Circle.

Fourth of July fireworks were cancelled due to risk of wildfires caused by "extreme dry weather conditions," as temperatures matching those in Miami highlighted rapid warming in a region considered particularly vulnerable to climate change.&nbsp;

"At 5pm this afternoon, Anchorage International Airport officially hit 90 degrees for the first time on record," tweeted the National Weather Service (NWS) late Thursday.

The previous record was 85 degrees, set in June 1969.

The average high temperature for July 4 in Anchorage, located in southern Alaska, is a far cooler 65 degrees.

Giant high-pressure ridge

The abnormally warm weather is being caused by a "giant ridge of high pressure sitting right over us," NWS meteorologist Bill Ludwig told the Anchorage Daily News.

Alaska had earlier broken temperature records throughout a hot spring, particularly in the Arctic zone which is especially sensitive to fluctuations in climate.

All 30 days in June had above-average temperatures, the NWS said.

According to scientists, Alaska is warming at twice the rate of the global average.

"From 1901 to 2016, average temperatures in the mainland United States increased by 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit... whereas in Alaska they increased by 4.7 degrees," Rick Thoman, a climate specialist at the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy, told AFP in April.

Fast-melting ice

The dramatic warming Alaska has experienced in recent years -- linked partly to a decline in sea ice and Arctic ocean warming -- has wreaked havoc on local communities, wildlife and the state's economy.

Permafrost -- the frozen ground that covers almost 85 per cent of Alaska -- is thawing, affecting everything from building foundations to wildlife habitats and the picking of berries that grow on the tundra.

Frozen rivers usually serve as transport routes in winter, as two-thirds of communities in the state are not accessible by road.

But higher temperatures have made the ice dangerously thin and unsafe for truck or car travel.

Many recreational sled-dog races have had to be cancelled this year, and the famed Iditarod race had to be re-routed as what is normally solid sea ice was open water on part of the race course.

Crab fishing has also been affected as the sea ice that fishermen use as a platform is non-existent or too thin in some areas.

Alaska's seal population is likely to be affected this summer, as some species give birth on solid ice, Thoman said.

Global warming has led to the lowest ice levels in the Bering Sea -- which connects with the Arctic Ocean -- since 1850, when sea ice records were first kept, he added.

While it is unprecedented for the mercury to hit 90 degrees in coastal Anchorage, temperatures as high as 100 degrees have been recorded in Alaska's interior.

The high-pressure system causing the current spike in temperatures is expected to shift north to inland areas in the coming days, with further records likely to be broken, according to AccuWeather.&nbsp;

Temperatures in Alaska's largest city Anchorage have soared to a sweltering all-time record of 90 degrees Fahrenheit as a heat wave grips the US state which straddles the Arctic Circle.

Temperatures in Alaska's largest city Anchorage have soared to a sweltering all-time record of 90 degrees Fahrenheit as a heat wave grips the US state which straddles the Arctic Circle. Fourth of July fireworks were cancelled due to risk of wildfires caused by "extreme dry weather conditions," as temperatures matching those in Miami highlighted rapid warming in a region considered particularly vulnerable to climate change. "At 5pm this afternoon, Anchorage International Airport officially hit 90 degrees for the first time on record," tweeted the National Weather Service (NWS) late Thursday. The previous record was 85 degrees, set in June 1969. The average high temperature for July 4 in Anchorage, located in southern Alaska, is a far cooler 65 degrees. Giant high-pressure ridge The abnormally warm weather is being caused by a "giant ridge of high pressure sitting right over us," NWS meteorologist Bill Ludwig told the Anchorage Daily News. Alaska had earlier broken temperature records throughout a hot spring, particularly in the Arctic zone which is especially sensitive to fluctuations in climate. All 30 days in June had above-average temperatures, the NWS said. According to scientists, Alaska is warming at twice the rate of the global average. "From 1901 to 2016, average temperatures in the mainland United States increased by 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit... whereas in Alaska they increased by 4.7 degrees," Rick Thoman, a climate specialist at the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy, told AFP in April. Fast-melting ice The dramatic warming Alaska has experienced in recent years -- linked partly to a decline in sea ice and Arctic ocean warming -- has wreaked havoc on local communities, wildlife and the state's economy. Permafrost -- the frozen ground that covers almost 85 per cent of Alaska -- is thawing, affecting everything from building foundations to wildlife habitats and the picking of berries that grow on the tundra. Frozen rivers usually serve as transport routes in winter, as two-thirds of communities in the state are not accessible by road. But higher temperatures have made the ice dangerously thin and unsafe for truck or car travel. Many recreational sled-dog races have had to be cancelled this year, and the famed Iditarod race had to be re-routed as what is normally solid sea ice was open water on part of the race course. Crab fishing has also been affected as the sea ice that fishermen use as a platform is non-existent or too thin in some areas. Alaska's seal population is likely to be affected this summer, as some species give birth on solid ice, Thoman said. Global warming has led to the lowest ice levels in the Bering Sea -- which connects with the Arctic Ocean -- since 1850, when sea ice records were first kept, he added. While it is unprecedented for the mercury to hit 90 degrees in coastal Anchorage, temperatures as high as 100 degrees have been recorded in Alaska's interior. The high-pressure system causing the current spike in temperatures is expected to shift north to inland areas in the coming days, with further records likely to be broken, according to AccuWeather.

Alaska heat wave shatters city's record, disrupts jobs and lives

Alaska's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/paris-no-more-under-heatwave-alert-231966">heat wave</a> is driving <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/wildfires-and-power-cuts-plague-europe-as-heatwave-breaks-records-231553">wildfires</a> and melting glaciers, choking the state’s biggest cities with smoke and bloating rivers with meltwater.

In Anchorage, home to about 40 per cent of Alaskans, the National Weather Service issued a dense smoke advisory on Sunday warning against the prolonged outdoor activity, along with advisories for the elderly and the sick to stay indoors.

The culprit is the Swan Lake wildfire to the south in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, which has burned since a June 5 lightning strike and consumed more than 68,000 acres, fire managers said.

To the north, in Fairbanks, fire officials ordered evacuations in two areas and told residents in a third to be prepared to leave because of the Shovel Creek Fire, which had grown to 5,568 acres by Sunday.

"People should GO, evacuate NOW. Leave immediately. DO NOT delay leaving," the evacuation order said.

Watch: Massive heatwave hits Europe

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In all, there were 354 wildfires covering 443,211 acres in Alaska as of Sunday morning, according to state and federal fire managers.

Along with the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, which had multiple active fires, iconic spots with fires burning include Denali National Park and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Record warmth and near-record warmth in most of the state has created flammable conditions from the Canadian border in the east to the Bering Sea coast in the west.

Anchorage was one of the areas that saw <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/europes-heatwave-burns-on-but-eases-from-record-highs-231887">record-breaking heat</a> in June, which followed a record-warm spring for Alaska as a whole, said Rick Thoman, a Fairbanks-based climate scientist with the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy.

"This very warm weather, on top of the warm May, the very early snowmelt, then we had those two weeks of lightning strikes -- it’s the classic setup," Thoman said.

Melting glaciers and mountain snowfields are bloating rivers and streams across a large swath of south-central Alaska, the NWS said.

The melt has brought water levels to flood stage at the Yentna River northwest of Anchorage on Sunday, said NWS forecaster Bob Clay.

Alaska's heat wave is driving wildfires and melting glaciers, choking the state’s biggest cities with smoke and bloating rivers with meltwater. In Anchorage, home to about 40 per cent of Alaskans, the National Weather Service issued a dense smoke advisory on Sunday warning against the prolonged outdoor activity, along with advisories for the elderly and the sick to stay indoors.

Alaska's heat wave is driving wildfires and melting glaciers, choking the state’s biggest cities with smoke and bloating rivers with meltwater. In Anchorage, home to about 40 per cent of Alaskans, the National Weather Service issued a dense smoke advisory on Sunday warning against the prolonged outdoor activity, along with advisories for the elderly and the sick to stay indoors. The culprit is the Swan Lake wildfire to the south in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, which has burned since a June 5 lightning strike and consumed more than 68,000 acres, fire managers said. To the north, in Fairbanks, fire officials ordered evacuations in two areas and told residents in a third to be prepared to leave because of the Shovel Creek Fire, which had grown to 5,568 acres by Sunday. "People should GO, evacuate NOW. Leave immediately. DO NOT delay leaving," the evacuation order said. Watch: Massive heatwave hits Europe In all, there were 354 wildfires covering 443,211 acres in Alaska as of Sunday morning, according to state and federal fire managers. Along with the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, which had multiple active fires, iconic spots with fires burning include Denali National Park and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Record warmth and near-record warmth in most of the state has created flammable conditions from the Canadian border in the east to the Bering Sea coast in the west. Anchorage was one of the areas that saw record-breaking heat in June, which followed a record-warm spring for Alaska as a whole, said Rick Thoman, a Fairbanks-based climate scientist with the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy. "This very warm weather, on top of the warm May, the very early snowmelt, then we had those two weeks of lightning strikes -- it’s the classic setup," Thoman said. Melting glaciers and mountain snowfields are bloating rivers and streams across a large swath of south-central Alaska, the NWS said. The melt has brought water levels to flood stage at the Yentna River northwest of Anchorage on Sunday, said NWS forecaster Bob Clay.

Alaska’s heat wave fuels dangerous smoke, melts glaciers

US Attorney General William Barr on Friday declared a public-safety emergency in rural Alaska and pledged $10.5 million in federal funds to combat some of the nation`s worst rates of sexual assault, child abuse and other violent crimes.

Barr`s announcement followed a visit to Alaska last month, where the country`s top law enforcement official was told about extraordinarily high rates of rape and domestic violence and a lack of police officers.&nbsp;

About a third of Alaska Native villages lack local law-enforcement services, according to a statement by the US Department of Justice announcing the federal money.

"I witnessed firsthand the complex, unique, and dire law enforcement challenges the State of Alaska and its remote Alaska Native communities are facing,” Barr said in the statement. &nbsp;

Rural Alaska communities, with largely Native populations and mostly without outside road access, have long been plagued by violent crime. For various legal and financial reasons, local and state responses to rural crime have been limited.

Village public safety officers, residents of the small Native communities scattered over remote parts of Alaska, are managed by the Alaska State Troopers.

Alaska tribes do not have the legal authority to establish police forces, a product of the sweeping 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act that restricted tribal powers, Native leaders told Barr in May. Establishing tribal police would require another act of Congress, the Native leaders said.

State-funded rural law enforcement has been hindered by Alaska`s long-running fiscal problems. The state is dependent on oil revenues that are dwindling and has cut back services over the years.

On Friday, just after Barr declared the public-safety emergency, Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced deep cuts he was making by veto to the fiscal 2020 budget passed by the state legislature. Among them was a $3 million cut Dunleavy made to the village public safety officer programme.

Of the emergency funding announced by Barr, $6 million is to support the state`s village public safety officer programme and to help pay for mobile detention facilities.

Another $4.5 million will be paid by the end of July for 20 officer positions, equipment and training for Native grantees, the Justice Department said. 
Barr also announced plans for some longer-term responses, including some funding for child protection.

US Attorney General William Barr on Friday declared a public-safety emergency in rural Alaska and pledged $10.5 million in federal funds to combat some of the nation`s worst rates of sexual assault, child abuse and other violent crimes.

US Attorney General William Barr on Friday declared a public-safety emergency in rural Alaska and pledged $10.5 million in federal funds to combat some of the nation`s worst rates of sexual assault, child abuse and other violent crimes. Barr`s announcement followed a visit to Alaska last month, where the country`s top law enforcement official was told about extraordinarily high rates of rape and domestic violence and a lack of police officers. About a third of Alaska Native villages lack local law-enforcement services, according to a statement by the US Department of Justice announcing the federal money. "I witnessed firsthand the complex, unique, and dire law enforcement challenges the State of Alaska and its remote Alaska Native communities are facing,” Barr said in the statement. Rural Alaska communities, with largely Native populations and mostly without outside road access, have long been plagued by violent crime. For various legal and financial reasons, local and state responses to rural crime have been limited. Village public safety officers, residents of the small Native communities scattered over remote parts of Alaska, are managed by the Alaska State Troopers. Alaska tribes do not have the legal authority to establish police forces, a product of the sweeping 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act that restricted tribal powers, Native leaders told Barr in May. Establishing tribal police would require another act of Congress, the Native leaders said. State-funded rural law enforcement has been hindered by Alaska`s long-running fiscal problems. The state is dependent on oil revenues that are dwindling and has cut back services over the years. On Friday, just after Barr declared the public-safety emergency, Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced deep cuts he was making by veto to the fiscal 2020 budget passed by the state legislature. Among them was a $3 million cut Dunleavy made to the village public safety officer programme. Of the emergency funding announced by Barr, $6 million is to support the state`s village public safety officer programme and to help pay for mobile detention facilities. Another $4.5 million will be paid by the end of July for 20 officer positions, equipment and training for Native grantees, the Justice Department said. Barr also announced plans for some longer-term responses, including some funding for child protection.

Trump administration declares emergency in violence-plagued rural Alaska

US fighters intercepted six Russian military aircraft in international airspace west of Alaska, and shadowed them until they exited the area, the North American Air Defence Command said Tuesday.

The Russian aircraft included two Tu-95 strategic bombers, which were intercepted Monday by two F-22 fighters, the command said.

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Two pairs of F-22 fighter jets, each with an E-3 intercepted Tu-95 bombers Su-35 fighter jets entering the Alaskan ADIZ May 21. The bombers entered the ADIZ and were intercepted by two F-22s, exited and then re-entered the Alaskan ADIZ accompanied by two Su-35 fighter jets. <a href="https://t.co/NYP6EVq2Xg">pic.twitter.com/NYP6EVq2Xg</a>
— North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) <a href="https://twitter.com/NORADCommand/status/1131076314025172993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2019</a></blockquote>
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A second group of two Tu-95 bombers and two Su-35 fighters were also intercepted by a pair of F-22 fighters, it said.

An AWACS surveillance plane monitored the operations, NORAD said, adding that the Russian aircraft were in international airspace throughout.

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They were picked up as they entered the Alaska Air Defence Identification Zone, a perimeter line that lies outside national airspace but within which air traffic is kept under constant surveillance to reduce response times in case of a hostile threat.

"Our ability to deter and defeat threats to our citizens and vital infrastructure starts with detecting, tracking, and positively identifying aircraft in our airspace," NORAD's commander, General Terrence O'Shaughnessy, said.

"We are on alert 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year," he said.

The United States has four Air Defence Identification Zones. The Alaska zone extends about 320 kilometres&nbsp;from the state's coast.

US fighters intercepted six Russian military aircraft in international airspace west of Alaska, and shadowed them until they exited the area, the North American Air Defence Command said Tuesday.

US fighters intercepted six Russian military aircraft in international airspace west of Alaska, and shadowed them until they exited the area, the North American Air Defence Command said Tuesday. The Russian aircraft included two Tu-95 strategic bombers, which were intercepted Monday by two F-22 fighters, the command said. Two pairs of F-22 fighter jets, each with an E-3 intercepted Tu-95 bombers Su-35 fighter jets entering the Alaskan ADIZ May 21. The bombers entered the ADIZ and were intercepted by two F-22s, exited and then re-entered the Alaskan ADIZ accompanied by two Su-35 fighter jets. pic.twitter.com/NYP6EVq2Xg — North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) May 22, 2019 × A second group of two Tu-95 bombers and two Su-35 fighters were also intercepted by a pair of F-22 fighters, it said. An AWACS surveillance plane monitored the operations, NORAD said, adding that the Russian aircraft were in international airspace throughout. They were picked up as they entered the Alaska Air Defence Identification Zone, a perimeter line that lies outside national airspace but within which air traffic is kept under constant surveillance to reduce response times in case of a hostile threat. "Our ability to deter and defeat threats to our citizens and vital infrastructure starts with detecting, tracking, and positively identifying aircraft in our airspace," NORAD's commander, General Terrence O'Shaughnessy, said. "We are on alert 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year," he said. The United States has four Air Defence Identification Zones. The Alaska zone extends about 320 kilometres from the state's coast.

Six Russian bombers, fighters intercepted off Alaska coast: US military

Gray whale deaths in US west coast may be linked to Arctic warmth

A powerful earthquake shook southern Alaska on Friday morning, buckling roads, disrupting traffic and knocking television stations off the air in Anchorage, the state`s largest city, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.&nbsp;

The 7.0 magnitude quake struck about 8 miles (13g km) north of Anchorage, a city of 300,000 residents accounting for about 40 per cent of Alaska`s population. The temblor was registered at a depth of 26.7 miles (43 km) beneath the surface, the US Geological Survey said.

The quake, followed by numerous aftershocks, produced strong shaking within a 30-mile (50 km) radius of its epicentre, with ground movement felt as far away as Fairbanks, about 350 miles to the north, the USGS reported.

"Thought the house was going to come apart," Anchorage-based climatologist Brian Brettschneider wrote on Twitter, posting a picture of his kitchen floor scattered with items that had fallen from cupboards.

A tsunami warning was issued for Cook Inlet, linking Anchorage with the Gulf of Alaska, but was later cancelled.

The Trans Alaska Pipeline that carries North Slope crude 800 miles (1,300 km) to the marine terminal at Valdez was shut down as a precaution, but no damage to the system was immediately detected, said a spokeswoman for the operator, Aleyska Pipeline Service Co.&nbsp;

Infrastructure in and around Anchorage took a major hit, police said on Twitter, with some homes and other buildings heavily damaged and many roads and bridges forced closed.

"SCARY DAY"&nbsp;

Rush-hour traffic in Anchorage came to a standstill and jammed up heading out of town after the quake struck at around 8:30 a.m.&nbsp; 
Disaster declarations were issued by Governor Bill Walker and Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz.

“Scary day for Alaska. We have been through earthquakes in the past. This one was different. This was very, very scary, damage that we don’t fully understand,” Walker said in a video statement from outside a National Guard armoury command centre.

Walker said he had been in contact with the White House, which promised emergency assistance from the federal government.

A team from the Federal Emergency Management Agency was on its way to the quake zone, and damage assessments were under way, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said on Fox News Channel. "But we know that a tragedy of this magnitude is going to require outside resources," she said.&nbsp;

Strong earthquakes are not uncommon in seismically active Alaska, but they tend to occur in remote, sparsely populated regions where there is little or no damage.

Alaska has recorded earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 7 to 8 at least once a year on average since 1900, according to the state government website. Southern Alaska was hit by a devastating 9.2 tremor in 1964, the second most powerful earthquake on record.

TV STUDIO IN SHAMBLES

Video on social media showed various images of damage from the quake, including supermarket floors strewn with items that tumbled from shelves and television station KTVA`s studio in shambles.

A photo posted by a reporter at KTVA showed a deserted newsroom, with the ceiling partially collapsed and debris scattered throughout. CNN reported that television station KTUU, an NBC affiliate, also was knocked off the air.

KTUU`s website featured a photo of a snow-covered highway that had buckled, with a car sitting between two deep fissures crossing the highway.

The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport remained open, but arrivals and departure ramps were closed and there were reports of road damage, the airport said on Twitter.&nbsp;

The city`s schools were evacuated and parents were notified to pick up their children.

A powerful earthquake shook southern Alaska on Friday morning, buckling roads, disrupting traffic and knocking television stations off the air in Anchorage, the state`s largest city, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.

A powerful earthquake shook southern Alaska on Friday morning, buckling roads, disrupting traffic and knocking television stations off the air in Anchorage, the state`s largest city, but there were no immediate reports of injuries. The 7.0 magnitude quake struck about 8 miles (13g km) north of Anchorage, a city of 300,000 residents accounting for about 40 per cent of Alaska`s population. The temblor was registered at a depth of 26.7 miles (43 km) beneath the surface, the US Geological Survey said. The quake, followed by numerous aftershocks, produced strong shaking within a 30-mile (50 km) radius of its epicentre, with ground movement felt as far away as Fairbanks, about 350 miles to the north, the USGS reported. "Thought the house was going to come apart," Anchorage-based climatologist Brian Brettschneider wrote on Twitter, posting a picture of his kitchen floor scattered with items that had fallen from cupboards. A tsunami warning was issued for Cook Inlet, linking Anchorage with the Gulf of Alaska, but was later cancelled. The Trans Alaska Pipeline that carries North Slope crude 800 miles (1,300 km) to the marine terminal at Valdez was shut down as a precaution, but no damage to the system was immediately detected, said a spokeswoman for the operator, Aleyska Pipeline Service Co. Infrastructure in and around Anchorage took a major hit, police said on Twitter, with some homes and other buildings heavily damaged and many roads and bridges forced closed. "SCARY DAY" Rush-hour traffic in Anchorage came to a standstill and jammed up heading out of town after the quake struck at around 8:30 a.m. Disaster declarations were issued by Governor Bill Walker and Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz. “Scary day for Alaska. We have been through earthquakes in the past. This one was different. This was very, very scary, damage that we don’t fully understand,” Walker said in a video statement from outside a National Guard armoury command centre. Walker said he had been in contact with the White House, which promised emergency assistance from the federal government. A team from the Federal Emergency Management Agency was on its way to the quake zone, and damage assessments were under way, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said on Fox News Channel. "But we know that a tragedy of this magnitude is going to require outside resources," she said. Strong earthquakes are not uncommon in seismically active Alaska, but they tend to occur in remote, sparsely populated regions where there is little or no damage. Alaska has recorded earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 7 to 8 at least once a year on average since 1900, according to the state government website. Southern Alaska was hit by a devastating 9.2 tremor in 1964, the second most powerful earthquake on record. TV STUDIO IN SHAMBLES Video on social media showed various images of damage from the quake, including supermarket floors strewn with items that tumbled from shelves and television station KTVA`s studio in shambles. A photo posted by a reporter at KTVA showed a deserted newsroom, with the ceiling partially collapsed and debris scattered throughout. CNN reported that television station KTUU, an NBC affiliate, also was knocked off the air. KTUU`s website featured a photo of a snow-covered highway that had buckled, with a car sitting between two deep fissures crossing the highway. The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport remained open, but arrivals and departure ramps were closed and there were reports of road damage, the airport said on Twitter. The city`s schools were evacuated and parents were notified to pick up their children.

Powerful quake causes damage in Alaska; no injuries reported

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLC MVVC Murthy has died in a car accident in Alaska, United States. Murthy was director of GITAM University also.

Murthy's family members learnt about his death around 3 am on Wednesday.

Five people including Murthy were travelling in a car when they met with the accident.&nbsp;

While four of them died, one person survived with injuries. The incident took place after the car they were travelling in collided with a truck.

TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh condoled Murthy's death and tweeted, "The sudden demise of senior leader &amp; MLC MVVS Murthy Garu is a devastating loss to the party and family. An unwavering champion for education &amp; employment creation, he touched many lives with his deep compassion and empathy. His was a life well-lived!" Lokesh tweeted.&nbsp;

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The sudden demise of senior leader &amp; MLC MVVS Murthy Garu is a devastating loss to the party and family. An unwavering champion for education &amp; employment creation, he touched many lives with his deep compassion and empathy. His was a life well-lived!
— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/naralokesh/status/1047322588702232576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Murthy, a former TDP MP, had gone to the USA to attend GITAM alumnus function in California

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLC MVVC Murthy has died in a car accident in Alaska, United States. Murthy was director of GITAM University also. Murthy's family members learnt about his death around 3 am on Wednesday.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLC MVVC Murthy has died in a car accident in Alaska, United States. Murthy was director of GITAM University also. Murthy's family members learnt about his death around 3 am on Wednesday. Five people including Murthy were travelling in a car when they met with the accident. While four of them died, one person survived with injuries. The incident took place after the car they were travelling in collided with a truck. TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh condoled Murthy's death and tweeted, "The sudden demise of senior leader & MLC MVVS Murthy Garu is a devastating loss to the party and family. An unwavering champion for education & employment creation, he touched many lives with his deep compassion and empathy. His was a life well-lived!" Lokesh tweeted. The sudden demise of senior leader & MLC MVVS Murthy Garu is a devastating loss to the party and family. An unwavering champion for education & employment creation, he touched many lives with his deep compassion and empathy. His was a life well-lived! — Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) October 3, 2018 × Murthy, a former TDP MP, had gone to the USA to attend GITAM alumnus function in California

TDP senior leader MVVC Murthy dies in car accident in US

Two U.S. fighter jets intercepted two Russian bombers in international airspace off the coast of Alaska on Friday, media reported.

The Russian TU-95 “Bear” bombers flew into a so-called Air Defense Identification Zone located about 200 miles off Alaska’s west coast, at about 10 a.m. EST (1400 GMT), North American Aerospace Defense Command spokesman Canadian Army Major Andrew Hennessy said in a statement to CNN.

Two Alaska-based NORAD F-22 fighter jets intercepted and visually identified the Russian bombers until they left the identification zone and the Russian aircraft never entered U.S. airspace, CNN reported, citing the statement.

Two Alaska-based NORAD F-22 fighter jets intercepted and visually identified the Russian bombers until they left the identification zone and the Russian aircraft never entered U.S. airspace

Two U.S. fighter jets intercepted two Russian bombers in international airspace off the coast of Alaska on Friday, media reported. The Russian TU-95 “Bear” bombers flew into a so-called Air Defense Identification Zone located about 200 miles off Alaska’s west coast, at about 10 a.m. EST (1400 GMT), North American Aerospace Defense Command spokesman Canadian Army Major Andrew Hennessy said in a statement to CNN. Two Alaska-based NORAD F-22 fighter jets intercepted and visually identified the Russian bombers until they left the identification zone and the Russian aircraft never entered U.S. airspace, CNN reported, citing the statement.

US fighter jets intercept Russian bombers in international airspace off Alaska

An earthquake of magnitude 8.2 hit 256 km southeast of Chiniak, Alaska at a depth of 10 km on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said.

The quake prompted a tsunami warning for parts of Alaska and Canada and a tsunami watch for the entire US&nbsp;west coast, the US&nbsp;Tsunami Warning System said.

&quot;If you are located in this coastal area, move inland to higher ground. Tsunami warnings mean that a tsunami with significant inundation is possible or is already occurring,&quot; Anchorage Office of Emergency Management said in a warning for Alaska and British Columbia.

Tsunami warnings for parts of Alaska and Canada and a tsunami watch for the entire U.S. west coast and Hawaii were issued.

&quot;Based on all available data a tsunami may have been generated by this earthquake that could be destructive on coastal areas even far from the epicenter,&quot; the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

Japan&#39;s meteorological agency said it was monitoring the situation but did not issue a tsunami alert.

The earthquake occurred southeast of Chiniak in Alaska

An earthquake of magnitude 8.2 hit 256 km southeast of Chiniak, Alaska at a depth of 10 km on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said. The quake prompted a tsunami warning for parts of Alaska and Canada and a tsunami watch for the entire US west coast, the US Tsunami Warning System said. "If you are located in this coastal area, move inland to higher ground. Tsunami warnings mean that a tsunami with significant inundation is possible or is already occurring," Anchorage Office of Emergency Management said in a warning for Alaska and British Columbia. Tsunami warnings for parts of Alaska and Canada and a tsunami watch for the entire U.S. west coast and Hawaii were issued. "Based on all available data a tsunami may have been generated by this earthquake that could be destructive on coastal areas even far from the epicenter," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. Japan's meteorological agency said it was monitoring the situation but did not issue a tsunami alert.

Watch: 8.2-magnitude earthquake off Alaska, tsunami warning issued

&ldquo;There is a realisation that the views we see from the cockpit with the large, clean windows, are reserved for only a very few people in the world. The happy few who manage to become an airline pilot.&nbsp;If I can share that experience of flying a 747 underneath the Northern Lights or over a moonlit ocean, I have brought that experience of being a pilot a little closer to the rest of the world that will never be able to sit in that seat.&rdquo;

This is how Christiaan van Heijst, a 34-year-old pilot describes his dual passion for flying and photographing the world from a bird&rsquo;s eye view.&nbsp;

With more than 7000 hours in his logbook, he is one of the few who has mastered the art of capturing the world&rsquo;s best wonders, several thousand kilometres above the sea level. In an exclusive conversation with WION, Christiaan opens up about his journey, his unique style of aerial photography as a cargo pilot and all there is to know about being the man with the best window seat.

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&quot;I realise more and more that my images can make people see the beauty in the world and appreciate the little things a bit more&quot; says Christiaan (Source:www.jpcvanheijst.com) (Others)
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Kickstarting an adrenaline rush

Born and raised in The Netherlands, Christiaan was drawn to the sky at an early age.&nbsp;

&ldquo;I started with glider flying at the age of 14 and achieved my PPL (private pilot license) at the age of 18, even before my driver&#39;s license&rdquo;, he says.&nbsp;

Driven with a fondness for the art of flying, he began as an aerobatics pilot and competed with the Dutch National Aerobatics Championship. With first place in the beginners class at the age of 20, he was hired as a First Officer on the Fokker 50 Turboprop. He remembers, &ldquo;I flew it for almost 2.5 years with operations ranging from European contracts to local African airlines and military operations in Afghanistan that have left a deep impression on me.&rdquo;

Breaking away from geographical boundaries and learning everything anew&nbsp;in the sky, his predilection for flying grew stronger. In 2006, he joined Transavia on the Boeing 737. He was then hired on the Boeing 747-400 at the age of 27, becoming one of the youngest pilots to be introduced on the very first 747-8 that entered service that same year.

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<h5>I am privileged to fly for a living and enjoy a life in the sky.</h5>
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Considering himself &ldquo;privileged to fly for a living and to enjoy&nbsp;a life in the sky&rdquo;, Christiaan currently flies as a Senior First Officer on the Boeing 747-8 and -400 Freighter for Cargolux; one of Europe&rsquo;s major all-cargo airline.&nbsp;

But wait,&nbsp;where did the photographer and pilot in you meet?

Christiaan explains how photography was not a new found love interest rather he &ldquo;was always interested in it since around the age of 10 but it became much more of an interest&rdquo; after he got his first job as an airline pilot. He says, &ldquo;I immediately felt and understood that the views and landscapes that unfolded from so high up in the air are unique that I just had to capture them with a camera.&rdquo;

Following his appetite for taking good photos, he became an instant hit on social media when his photos became viral. Those are his &ldquo;most widely known photos of an unexplained group of red lights in the Pacific Ocean, spotted on August 24th, 2014&rdquo;.&nbsp;

Christiaan adds, &ldquo;Those photos unexpectedly went viral after I posted them on social media, being picked up by the Dutch blog Geenstijl and consequently generated a lot of attention worldwide.&rdquo;&nbsp;

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The experience of taking pictures of the starry night is quite different from those taken on land than while airborne (Source: www.jpcvanheijst.com) (Others)
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From thunderstorms to cloud formations, the pilot witnesses a bounty of natural wonder from his cockpit (Source:www.jpcvanheijst.com) (Others)
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The art of clicking airborne

Photographs are one of the best ways to communicate with an audience.

Christiaan explains what he explores within this art form: &ldquo;Photography for me, is more than just capturing some scenes, cockpits or clouds, it&#39;s my way to show the world how incredibly beautiful so many things are if you just take a moment to appreciate it. I&rsquo;m lucky that I&#39;m taking pictures from a unique vantage point so high up in the sky being a pilot, that allows me to see the entire world from a different perspective. The strong urge to capture the delicate plays of light had been present ever since, and I feel that I have to share as many of those views as possible while I&#39;m able to.&rdquo;

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<h5>I&rsquo;m lucky that I&#39;m taking pictures from a unique vantage point so high up in the sky being a pilot, that allows me to see the entire world from a different perspective. I feel I have to share as many of those views as possible while I&#39;m able to.</h5>
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For someone so mesmerised with natural lights and colours, I enquire him about storytelling via pictures. It is commonly learnt that every photograph speaks 1000 words, what story do your photos tell, I ask?

Christiaan simply answers, &ldquo;Actually, I do not try to tell a story with my photos, nor do I connect them with moral statements or messages. Nearly every shot speaks for itself, and as a whole, they convey the pure beauty of the world from above and through my eyes. I prefer the use of natural light in all its forms, and the only story I can actually think of is; just appreciate the world as it is. If I connect them with moral statements about religion or human pollution, they would lose their strength and essence. If my images make people realise or think a bit and see the bigger picture of the world and its beauty, that&#39;s a nice extra.

&ldquo;Every city looks different, but at night it&rsquo;s often a huge cluster of millions of lights that are sometimes chaotic, sometimes drawn in straight lines where the roads are. During daylight, most cities look like a mass of grey spots and lines but are most distinctively different because of the geographical location. For example, some cities are defined by mountains or islands (like Hong Kong) or large rivers that were the main reason for the city to be founded (like Kinshasa or Novosibirsk). Major cities like Hong Kong or New York are also easily visible because of the skyscrapers and the high buildings in comparison with smaller cities that are often much less developed. Every city has its own characteristics and features that are often beautifully visible from above&rdquo;, he adds.&nbsp;

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While he is busy capturing the nuances of nature with an upside-down view of the world, a few like Christiaan have given a boost to aviation photography as a lucrative career option.&nbsp;

Christiaan says, &ldquo;Aviation photography is quite big but consists mostly of spotters and people who take pictures from other planes from the ground. There are only a few photographers out there who actually take pictures from the cockpit, the weather and clouds, and the landscapes that we see from above. It is a little bit of a niche-market and I&#39;m one of the few who uses this vantage point to capture the spirit of flight.&rdquo;

He adds, &ldquo;There are also some like photographers of National Geographic and other big companies who use (this form) for example, to show how fast glaciers are melting, or how certain parts are polluting. I think the view from above certainly helped us understand how precious certain parts and systems are and help with mapping the world. But personally I do not want to do that, I just want to capture the beauty of the world. Every picture just shows the simple views, but if people want to draw conclusions after seeing them, that is up to them.&rdquo;&nbsp;

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Flying over the mountains of Afghanistan changed the pilot-photographer. (Source: www.jpcvanheijst.com) (Others)
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In the picture, Chicago by night (Source: www.jpcvanheijst.com) (Others)
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Learning on the move while flying

Christiaan has flown all over the world except Antarctica with his camera, capturing landscapes and natural phenomena that occur once in a lifetime. Has it changed him?

He answers, &ldquo;The more I&#39;ve been taking pictures, the more I&#39;ve become aware of how delicate and beautiful light can be sometimes. It has not changed me very much, but I find it amazing that so few people (including pilots) are not even seeing the beauty that is visible to us every day and they only &#39;see&#39; the beauty after they see my photos. I realise more and more that my images can make people see the beauty in the world and appreciate the little things a bit more.&rdquo;&nbsp;

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<h5>Recently, I was extremely lucky to witness and photograph the re-entry of an old Chinese rocket booster that happened to fall into the atmosphere exactly at the place where we were flying...The fireball appeared just next to us and &#39;flew&#39; all across the sky while I could take a few pictures of it.</h5>
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Offering an alternate view of the already filmed objects, Christiaan narrates an incident he feels he was lucky to capture owing to a perfect medley of timeliness, scope and leverage: &ldquo;Just recently, I was extremely lucky to witness and photograph the re-entry of an old Chinese rocket booster that happened to fall into the atmosphere exactly at the place where we were flying. It was pure luck because nobody could predict the place where it would fall, nor was I prepared for it. The fireball appeared just next to us and &#39;flew&#39; all across the sky while I could take a few pictures of it. Being at the right place, right time and with a good camera.&rdquo;&nbsp;

At this point, I am tempted to ask him about his best memory while flying and photographing. He says, &ldquo;One of the most beautiful things I&#39;ve seen was a large storm of Northern Lights over the Arctic Ocean, North of Alaska. The green and purple glow were moving very fast, for as far as the eye could see and was reflected in the ice below. That was something I will never forget. In another incident, in the beginning of my career I flew contract work in Afghanistan; based in Kabul we flew domestic flights with a small turboprop airplane to all sorts of local airports. Flying that low over Afghanistan has left a very deep impression on me, the beautiful Hindu Kush mountains and the breathtaking sceneries that are so remote and barely seen by people from the air.&rdquo;

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<h5>In the beginning of my career I flew contract work in Afghanistan. Flying that low over Afghanistan has left a very deep impression on me, the beautiful Hindu Kush mountains and the breathtaking sceneries that are so remote and barely seen by people from the air.</h5>
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What about challenges while conducting a dual job mid-air?

Christiaan emphasises that his &ldquo;airline allows him to take photographs&rdquo; and that he &ldquo;takes photos from the cockpit only if the workload and flight allow him to, as flying the airplane is always his number one priority&rdquo;. He flies long-range where the pilots are in &lsquo;cruise&rsquo; at high altitudes and don&rsquo;t have much to do. Also, they are flying often with 3 or 4 pilots at a time, where every pilot gets a few hour-breaks during the flight. &ldquo;During such a break I can take pictures without disturbing the other two pilots, or I can take pictures from the jumpseat in the cockpit while my colleagues are busy with landing the airplane&rdquo;, he adds. &nbsp;

As a pilot-photographer, Christiaan ensures that basics are taken care of. He says, &ldquo;During daytime, the main problem is to get rid of the reflections in the windows. All papers in the cockpit and uniforms we wear are white and tend to reflect in the windows during flight. Another problem is the thick, layered windows of the cockpit. When I zoom in through the windows, the thick glass makes the images blurry so I have to limit my zoom to get sharp images. During the night, challenges are different. I have to use long shutter times and that requires a very stable flight in smooth air. Very often the airplane is very stable and I can use shutter times of up to 20, sometimes 30 seconds without getting a blurry shot. Also, I use extreme fisheye lenses for the photos from the Northern Lights and Milky Way. Since they capture such a large area, a tiny bit of movement hardly shows in the end result, making it possible to use long shutter times without getting blurry photos. I still have to take about 20-25 photos to get at least one that is sharp enough.&rdquo;&nbsp;

He adds, &ldquo;Some people ask me why the stars are still sharp while the airplane is moving so fast (950 km/h). The answer is that the stars and the moon are so extremely far away, that the movement of the airplane is negligible. During long exposures, the airplane might move fast but relative to the stars the movement is nothing. Of course, lights on the ground do move with those long shutter times, but the stars remain steady and sharp.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Towards the end, I ask him what remains to be his favourite photograph till date and he answers, &ldquo;The best photo still has to be made. I don&#39;t have any single photo that is my absolute favorite, but mostly I prefer the photos of the Northern Lights and the cockpit, that show how unique the view is we have as pilots and also shows how amazing the Northern Lights are, and how very small we are, even in a big plane high up in the sky.&rdquo;&nbsp;

After a successful stint at authoring a photo book &lsquo;Cargopilot&rsquo; in 2016, Christiaan intends to remain a part-time photographer and a part-time pilot. He also enjoys writing and is considering exploring that too in the coming future.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

(WION)

"Flying that low over Afghanistan has left a very deep impression on me, the beautiful Hindu Kush mountains that are so remote and barely seen by people from the air", says Pilot Heijst.

“There is a realisation that the views we see from the cockpit with the large, clean windows, are reserved for only a very few people in the world. The happy few who manage to become an airline pilot. If I can share that experience of flying a 747 underneath the Northern Lights or over a moonlit ocean, I have brought that experience of being a pilot a little closer to the rest of the world that will never be able to sit in that seat.” This is how Christiaan van Heijst, a 34-year-old pilot describes his dual passion for flying and photographing the world from a bird’s eye view. With more than 7000 hours in his logbook, he is one of the few who has mastered the art of capturing the world’s best wonders, several thousand kilometres above the sea level. In an exclusive conversation with WION, Christiaan opens up about his journey, his unique style of aerial photography as a cargo pilot and all there is to know about being the man with the best window seat. "I realise more and more that my images can make people see the beauty in the world and appreciate the little things a bit more" says Christiaan (Source:www.jpcvanheijst.com) (Others) × Kickstarting an adrenaline rush Born and raised in The Netherlands, Christiaan was drawn to the sky at an early age. “I started with glider flying at the age of 14 and achieved my PPL (private pilot license) at the age of 18, even before my driver's license”, he says. Driven with a fondness for the art of flying, he began as an aerobatics pilot and competed with the Dutch National Aerobatics Championship. With first place in the beginners class at the age of 20, he was hired as a First Officer on the Fokker 50 Turboprop. He remembers, “I flew it for almost 2.5 years with operations ranging from European contracts to local African airlines and military operations in Afghanistan that have left a deep impression on me.” Breaking away from geographical boundaries and learning everything anew in the sky, his predilection for flying grew stronger. In 2006, he joined Transavia on the Boeing 737. He was then hired on the Boeing 747-400 at the age of 27, becoming one of the youngest pilots to be introduced on the very first 747-8 that entered service that same year. I am privileged to fly for a living and enjoy a life in the sky. × Considering himself “privileged to fly for a living and to enjoy a life in the sky”, Christiaan currently flies as a Senior First Officer on the Boeing 747-8 and -400 Freighter for Cargolux; one of Europe’s major all-cargo airline. But wait, where did the photographer and pilot in you meet? Christiaan explains how photography was not a new found love interest rather he “was always interested in it since around the age of 10 but it became much more of an interest” after he got his first job as an airline pilot. He says, “I immediately felt and understood that the views and landscapes that unfolded from so high up in the air are unique that I just had to capture them with a camera.” Following his appetite for taking good photos, he became an instant hit on social media when his photos became viral. Those are his “most widely known photos of an unexplained group of red lights in the Pacific Ocean, spotted on August 24th, 2014”. Christiaan adds, “Those photos unexpectedly went viral after I posted them on social media, being picked up by the Dutch blog Geenstijl and consequently generated a lot of attention worldwide.” The experience of taking pictures of the starry night is quite different from those taken on land than while airborne (Source: www.jpcvanheijst.com) (Others) × From thunderstorms to cloud formations, the pilot witnesses a bounty of natural wonder from his cockpit (Source:www.jpcvanheijst.com) (Others) × The art of clicking airborne Photographs are one of the best ways to communicate with an audience. Christiaan explains what he explores within this art form: “Photography for me, is more than just capturing some scenes, cockpits or clouds, it's my way to show the world how incredibly beautiful so many things are if you just take a moment to appreciate it. I’m lucky that I'm taking pictures from a unique vantage point so high up in the sky being a pilot, that allows me to see the entire world from a different perspective. The strong urge to capture the delicate plays of light had been present ever since, and I feel that I have to share as many of those views as possible while I'm able to.” I’m lucky that I'm taking pictures from a unique vantage point so high up in the sky being a pilot, that allows me to see the entire world from a different perspective. I feel I have to share as many of those views as possible while I'm able to. × For someone so mesmerised with natural lights and colours, I enquire him about storytelling via pictures. It is commonly learnt that every photograph speaks 1000 words, what story do your photos tell, I ask? Christiaan simply answers, “Actually, I do not try to tell a story with my photos, nor do I connect them with moral statements or messages. Nearly every shot speaks for itself, and as a whole, they convey the pure beauty of the world from above and through my eyes. I prefer the use of natural light in all its forms, and the only story I can actually think of is; just appreciate the world as it is. If I connect them with moral statements about religion or human pollution, they would lose their strength and essence. If my images make people realise or think a bit and see the bigger picture of the world and its beauty, that's a nice extra. “Every city looks different, but at night it’s often a huge cluster of millions of lights that are sometimes chaotic, sometimes drawn in straight lines where the roads are. During daylight, most cities look like a mass of grey spots and lines but are most distinctively different because of the geographical location. For example, some cities are defined by mountains or islands (like Hong Kong) or large rivers that were the main reason for the city to be founded (like Kinshasa or Novosibirsk). Major cities like Hong Kong or New York are also easily visible because of the skyscrapers and the high buildings in comparison with smaller cities that are often much less developed. Every city has its own characteristics and features that are often beautifully visible from above”, he adds. I do not try to tell a story with my photos, nor do I connect them with moral statements or messages. Nearly every shot speaks for itself × While he is busy capturing the nuances of nature with an upside-down view of the world, a few like Christiaan have given a boost to aviation photography as a lucrative career option. Christiaan says, “Aviation photography is quite big but consists mostly of spotters and people who take pictures from other planes from the ground. There are only a few photographers out there who actually take pictures from the cockpit, the weather and clouds, and the landscapes that we see from above. It is a little bit of a niche-market and I'm one of the few who uses this vantage point to capture the spirit of flight.” He adds, “There are also some like photographers of National Geographic and other big companies who use (this form) for example, to show how fast glaciers are melting, or how certain parts are polluting. I think the view from above certainly helped us understand how precious certain parts and systems are and help with mapping the world. But personally I do not want to do that, I just want to capture the beauty of the world. Every picture just shows the simple views, but if people want to draw conclusions after seeing them, that is up to them.” Flying over the mountains of Afghanistan changed the pilot-photographer. (Source: www.jpcvanheijst.com) (Others) × In the picture, Chicago by night (Source: www.jpcvanheijst.com) (Others) × Learning on the move while flying Christiaan has flown all over the world except Antarctica with his camera, capturing landscapes and natural phenomena that occur once in a lifetime. Has it changed him? He answers, “The more I've been taking pictures, the more I've become aware of how delicate and beautiful light can be sometimes. It has not changed me very much, but I find it amazing that so few people (including pilots) are not even seeing the beauty that is visible to us every day and they only 'see' the beauty after they see my photos. I realise more and more that my images can make people see the beauty in the world and appreciate the little things a bit more.” Recently, I was extremely lucky to witness and photograph the re-entry of an old Chinese rocket booster that happened to fall into the atmosphere exactly at the place where we were flying...The fireball appeared just next to us and 'flew' all across the sky while I could take a few pictures of it. × Offering an alternate view of the already filmed objects, Christiaan narrates an incident he feels he was lucky to capture owing to a perfect medley of timeliness, scope and leverage: “Just recently, I was extremely lucky to witness and photograph the re-entry of an old Chinese rocket booster that happened to fall into the atmosphere exactly at the place where we were flying. It was pure luck because nobody could predict the place where it would fall, nor was I prepared for it. The fireball appeared just next to us and 'flew' all across the sky while I could take a few pictures of it. Being at the right place, right time and with a good camera.” At this point, I am tempted to ask him about his best memory while flying and photographing. He says, “One of the most beautiful things I've seen was a large storm of Northern Lights over the Arctic Ocean, North of Alaska. The green and purple glow were moving very fast, for as far as the eye could see and was reflected in the ice below. That was something I will never forget. In another incident, in the beginning of my career I flew contract work in Afghanistan; based in Kabul we flew domestic flights with a small turboprop airplane to all sorts of local airports. Flying that low over Afghanistan has left a very deep impression on me, the beautiful Hindu Kush mountains and the breathtaking sceneries that are so remote and barely seen by people from the air.” In the beginning of my career I flew contract work in Afghanistan. Flying that low over Afghanistan has left a very deep impression on me, the beautiful Hindu Kush mountains and the breathtaking sceneries that are so remote and barely seen by people from the air. × What about challenges while conducting a dual job mid-air? Christiaan emphasises that his “airline allows him to take photographs” and that he “takes photos from the cockpit only if the workload and flight allow him to, as flying the airplane is always his number one priority”. He flies long-range where the pilots are in ‘cruise’ at high altitudes and don’t have much to do. Also, they are flying often with 3 or 4 pilots at a time, where every pilot gets a few hour-breaks during the flight. “During such a break I can take pictures without disturbing the other two pilots, or I can take pictures from the jumpseat in the cockpit while my colleagues are busy with landing the airplane”, he adds. As a pilot-photographer, Christiaan ensures that basics are taken care of. He says, “During daytime, the main problem is to get rid of the reflections in the windows. All papers in the cockpit and uniforms we wear are white and tend to reflect in the windows during flight. Another problem is the thick, layered windows of the cockpit. When I zoom in through the windows, the thick glass makes the images blurry so I have to limit my zoom to get sharp images. During the night, challenges are different. I have to use long shutter times and that requires a very stable flight in smooth air. Very often the airplane is very stable and I can use shutter times of up to 20, sometimes 30 seconds without getting a blurry shot. Also, I use extreme fisheye lenses for the photos from the Northern Lights and Milky Way. Since they capture such a large area, a tiny bit of movement hardly shows in the end result, making it possible to use long shutter times without getting blurry photos. I still have to take about 20-25 photos to get at least one that is sharp enough.” He adds, “Some people ask me why the stars are still sharp while the airplane is moving so fast (950 km/h). The answer is that the stars and the moon are so extremely far away, that the movement of the airplane is negligible. During long exposures, the airplane might move fast but relative to the stars the movement is nothing. Of course, lights on the ground do move with those long shutter times, but the stars remain steady and sharp.” Towards the end, I ask him what remains to be his favourite photograph till date and he answers, “The best photo still has to be made. I don't have any single photo that is my absolute favorite, but mostly I prefer the photos of the Northern Lights and the cockpit, that show how unique the view is we have as pilots and also shows how amazing the Northern Lights are, and how very small we are, even in a big plane high up in the sky.” After a successful stint at authoring a photo book ‘Cargopilot’ in 2016, Christiaan intends to remain a part-time photographer and a part-time pilot. He also enjoys writing and is considering exploring that too in the coming future. (WION)

The unique vantage point: Pilot Heijst captures world's wonders from his window seat

Two small planes collided in mid-air in Alaska Wednesday morning, killing all five people aboard both aircraft, authorities said. 
 
The crash happened around 11 am local time about 60 miles north of the city of Bethel, Alaska National Guard spokeswoman Lieutenant Colonel Candis Olmstead said in a statement. 
 
&quot;The aircraft involved were a Hageland Aviation Cessna 208 Caravan with three individuals on board and a Renfro&#39;s Alaska Adventures Piper PA-18 Super Cub with two individuals on board,&quot; Olmstead said. 
 
Olmstead said the crash occurred about 6 miles northwest of Russian Mission, a remote community in the southwest of the state along the Yukon River. 
 
The cause of the crash was not immediately known. 
 
Neither Hageland, nor Renfro&#39;s Alaskan Adventures, which runs fishing and hunting charters, immediately responded to a request for information. 
 
An Alaska Army National Guard helicopter ferrying medics was arriving at the crash site, Olmstead said. Alaska State Troopers were also en route. 
 
A spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, Clint Johnson, said two Anchorage-based investigators were headed to the scene, but said authorities were &quot;still very much treating this as an active rescue.&quot; 
 
Johnson had no word on survivors, and said the Board was waiting for updates from the Alaska State Troopers and the US Air Force&#39;s rescue coordination center. 
 
(Reuters)

The cause of the crash was not immediately known

Two small planes collided in mid-air in Alaska Wednesday morning, killing all five people aboard both aircraft, authorities said. The crash happened around 11 am local time about 60 miles north of the city of Bethel, Alaska National Guard spokeswoman Lieutenant Colonel Candis Olmstead said in a statement. "The aircraft involved were a Hageland Aviation Cessna 208 Caravan with three individuals on board and a Renfro's Alaska Adventures Piper PA-18 Super Cub with two individuals on board," Olmstead said. Olmstead said the crash occurred about 6 miles northwest of Russian Mission, a remote community in the southwest of the state along the Yukon River. The cause of the crash was not immediately known. Neither Hageland, nor Renfro's Alaskan Adventures, which runs fishing and hunting charters, immediately responded to a request for information. An Alaska Army National Guard helicopter ferrying medics was arriving at the crash site, Olmstead said. Alaska State Troopers were also en route. A spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, Clint Johnson, said two Anchorage-based investigators were headed to the scene, but said authorities were "still very much treating this as an active rescue." Johnson had no word on survivors, and said the Board was waiting for updates from the Alaska State Troopers and the US Air Force's rescue coordination center. (Reuters)

Five dead after two planes collide mid-air in Alaska

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