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Tag: Oceans

  • Tropical Storm Melissa Trudges Through Caribbean as Forecasters Warn It Will Quickly Intensify

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    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Tropical Storm Melissa plodded through the central Caribbean early Friday, with forecasters warning it could soon strengthen and brush past Jamaica as a powerful hurricane while unleashing potentially “catastrophic” flash flooding and landslides in southern Haiti.

    The slow-moving and erratic storm was expected to drop copious rain on Jamaica and the southern regions of Haiti and the Dominican Republic through the weekend.

    “The rainfall is a huge risk with the storm,” said Michael Brennan, director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami. “Rainfall has historically been the biggest cause of loss of life of tropical storms and hurricanes in the Caribbean.”

    The slow-moving storm was centered about 150 miles (245 kilometers) southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 270 miles (430 kilometers) southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph) and was moving north at 3 mph (6 kph), the U.S. center said.

    A hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning were in effect for Jamaica and the southwestern peninsula of Haiti.

    Melissa was expected to slowly begin moving closer to Jamaica over the weekend. It was expected to strengthen into a hurricane by Saturday and become a major hurricane by the end of the weekend, possibly reaching Category 4 status by Tuesday.

    Forecasters said Jamaica’s eastern region could see up to 14 inches (36 centimeters) of rain that could lead to flooding and landslides because the ground is already saturated from recent heavy rains unrelated to the storm.

    Schools, health centers and government offices closed across Jamaica on Thursday, with authorities warning that all airports would close within 24 hours if a hurricane warning is issued.

    “The situation is indeed serious,” said Matthew Samuda, Jamaica’s minister of economic growth and job creation, as he warned people not to be fooled by the storm’s current pace and strength. “Be very attentive, because it can change in a moment’s notice.”

    Up to 14 inches (36 centimeters) of rain also was forecast for southern Haiti and the southern Dominican Republic, with higher amounts possible through Sunday.

    Melissa was blamed for one death in southern Haiti, and five other people in the country’s central region were injured in flooding, authorities said. The U.N. announced Thursday that it was preparing more than 100 emergency shelters in Haiti’s southern region.

    The storm also knocked out dozens of water supply systems in the neighboring Dominican Republic, affecting more than half a million customers. It also downed trees and traffic lights and unleashed a couple of small landslides.

    All public schools across the Dominican Republic would close on Friday, while government offices in 12 provinces under alert would do the same, officials said.

    “This is an event that we should be following minute by minute,” said Juan Manuel Méndez García, emergency operations director in the Dominican Republic. He noted that evacuations in areas under alert were mandatory.

    Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, and the first named storm to form in the Caribbean this year.

    The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had predicted an above-normal season with 13 to 18 named storms. Of those, five to nine were forecast to become hurricanes, including two to five major hurricanes, which pack winds of 111 mph (178 kph) or greater.

    The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Oct. 2025

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  • Hong Kong prepares to reopen runway after crash though it won’t be used regularly

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    HONG KONG — HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong prepared Tuesday to reopen the runway where a cargo aircraft crashed and plunged into the sea the previous day, but said it would remain out of regular use until wreckage from the accident was fully cleared from the water.

    The Boeing 747 flown by Turkey-based ACT Airlines flight from Dubai skidded off to the left after landing in the early hours of Monday and collided with a patrol car, causing both the aircraft and the car to plunge into the sea. Two workers in the car were killed. The four crew members on the plane had no apparent injuries.

    Repairs to the runway and damaged fencing have been completed, Steven Yiu, the airport authority’s executive director for airport operations, told Radio Television Hong Kong. He added that that investigators had collected initial evidence at the scene.

    The plane’s cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder have not yet been retrieved, Yiu said. The aircraft was being operated under lease by Emirates, a long-haul carrier based in Dubai.

    The runway would be put on standby status from noon, meaning it can be used for landings but will not be included in regular flight planning. Yiu said it would remain on standby until the wreckage is fully cleared from the sea.

    Hong Kong authorities were in contact with barge companies for the cleanup but they could not begin removal work while Tropical Storm Fengshen was still affecting the city, he said. Depending on weather, wreckage removal and other work could be completed within a week, Yiu said.

    Investigators were continuing to work to determine the cause of the crash. Yiu said both weather and runway conditions met standards during the incident, while mechanical and human factors were yet to be investigated.

    Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said her bureau hoped the air accident investigation authority would release an initial probe report within a month, the bureau posted on Facebook.

    Monday’s crash marked the second fatal incident for ACT Airlines. In 2017, a Boeing 747 flown by ACT Airlines under the name MyCargo crashed as it prepared to land in fog in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, killing all four crew on board and 35 people on the ground. ACT Airlines flew that route from Hong Kong on behalf of Turkish Airlines.

    A later report on the crash by Kyrgyz authorities blamed the flight crew for misjudging the plane’s position while landing in poor weather. The crew was tired and had a heated exchange with air-traffic control before the crash, the report said.

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  • Prepare for wild weather and don’t bother the sheep: What to know about visiting the Faroe Islands

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    KALSOY ISLAND, Faroe Islands (AP) — While once the Faroe Islands might have slipped under the radar, more tourists than ever are arriving on the remote archipelago in the north Atlantic.

    According to Statistics Faroe Islands, a record 94,954 check-ins occurred last year at hotels, hostels and guesthouses.

    That’s relatively small for a European destination, but authorities are already thinking about how to protect the windswept 18 islands from the tourism pressure that has led to backlash elsewhere.

    Like Greenland, the Faroes are a self-governing territory of Denmark. So far, U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed no public interest in taking control of them.

    Here’s what to know about visiting.

    The weather above all

    Be ready for anything, especially when hiking. At some point, it will rain. Strong winds can pick up quickly, and fog can be disorienting.

    The Landsverk local authority has weather cams on its site, and so does FaroeIslandsLive. The official Visit Faroe Islands site has detailed advice on safe travel, as locals are aware that people can slip off trails into the sea – and sometimes do.

    “I will take photos to die for, without dying for them,” says a tourist-focused flier called “The Faroese Pledge” on the library door in the village of Fuglafjordur.

    Trails marked as suitable for children may not be. Keep in mind that hiking times and difficulty levels have been estimated by locals. A few of the most heavily traveled routes ask for a fee. The popular hike to the Kallur lighthouse on Kalsoy Island is about $30. Do not miss it.

    Undersea tunnels, upper-tier fees

    It’s best to explore with a rental car for more flexibility. Public buses are available to many locations, but timetables are limited. They are available at the Strandfaraskip site. Multi-day travel passes can be purchased at the airport’s visitor center.

    The Faroe Islands now have four undersea tunnels linking a few of the most visited islands, but prepare to pay. Fees range from over $15 for a round trip to over $27 one way. Plan day trips accordingly. Fees are paid to the rental car company at the end of a visit.

    On land, some of the older tunnels are single lanes with designated passing areas. Some of the scenic “buttercup” routes are single lanes as well. Guardrails are not always present.

    On one stretch of road leaving the community of Tjornuvik, a signal has been installed to limit traffic to one direction at a time along the well-battered guardrail above the sea. Tourists don’t know how to reverse, residents said.

    Mind the sheep, and other details

    The need for cash is almost nonexistent. The AP used it once, for a coin-operated shower in one of the public restrooms often found at camping locations or tourist-frequented villages. Pay with cards and phones.

    Food is expensive, as most of it is imported.

    English is widely enough spoken and displayed.

    Drone use is restricted. The Visit Faroe Islands site has details.

    Don’t bother the sheep. Call the police if you hit one.

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  • Take a ‘stormcation’ in the dramatic Faroe Islands, where James Bond died

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    KALSOY ISLAND, Faroe Islands (AP) — The tiny Faroe Islands in the north Atlantic could be a poor choice for travelers with vertigo, seasickness or a fear of enclosed spaces. There are crumbling cliffs, sudden gale-force winds and hillsides so steep that even the sheep can tumble.

    Three tourists disappeared over two days in September. Police told the media their last locations were near a well-known waterfall that drops into the sea. Be careful, a shaken staffer at the site’s entrance said days later. “Come back.”

    The risks come with landscapes so dramatic that one became the site for James Bond’s end in “No Time to Die.” Now the Faroe Islands, a self-governing territory under Denmark, like Greenland, are trying to handle a growing number of travelers also drawn by bird-watching, adventurous eating and “coolcations” as global temperatures rise.

    Its sure-footed residents once hiked over mountain passes and maneuvered wooden boats onto rocky shores just to visit church or each other. Unlike tourists, they know when to stay away from hiking trails alongside unprotected cliffs, and how disorienting sudden fogs can be.

    A rainbow appears near a lighthouse on Kalsoy Island in Faroe Islands, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Cara Anna)

    “When you make a mistake here, nature usually wins,” a food truck vendor at one popular site said.

    It’s easier than ever to learn that lesson while exploring the Faroe Islands, which for now are largely free of the zip-lined commercialization of one of its nearest neighbors, Iceland.

    A growing network of undersea tunnels, including what’s called the world’s first undersea roundabout, are helping to link the 18 islands. Rugged isolation is giving way to smooth highways, and Airbnb has hundreds of listings among a population of over 50,000 people.

    A new co-chairmanship of the Arctic Council is bringing more global visibility, along with a stunning run toward its first soccer World Cup.

    ‘Closed for maintenance’

    Authorities are trying to both encourage tourism and protect the Faroe Islands from it. A yearly “closed for maintenance” program began in 2019, with volunteers from around the world chosen to help with anti-erosion efforts, path upkeep and other work. The national museum later launched a project to protect lands and biodiversity.

    And this year, the tourism office introduced self-navigating tours that steer visitors from the churned-mud trails of the most popular spots to lesser-known areas.

    Tour routes are revealed online as you go along. One sends users to a seaside village that hosts a popular music festival, followed by a tiny botanical garden, a fjord-side memorial to a deadly shipwreck and a small forest plantation enjoyed by Faroese on the otherwise treeless islands.

    The last leg was along a one-lane road that at times had no guardrail between its lack of shoulder and the drop to the sea. Sheep walked along one stretch, another reason for visitors to stay alert in the stunning surroundings. (There’s a police number to call if a driver hits one.)

    Visitors who love the outdoors can easily spend a week in the Faroe Islands cycling, fishing, trying an emerging sauna scene, eating sushi from locally farmed salmon and shopping for newly knitted wool sweaters. In the summer, boat tours include music concerts inside a sea cave or puffin-watching.

    Winters are fierce — a ferryman said a storm two years ago ripped the roof from an old house next to the AP’s seaside rental cottage in Sydradalur — but interest in the islands is starting to extend the peak tourist season into October.

    Ferocious winds and bewildered sheep

    Villages, especially in the wilder northern region, can have just a handful of residents. There are few tourist-focused businesses outside the capital, Torshavn, but the village of Gjogv has a welcoming guesthouse and cafe, and the village of Fuglafjordur has a charming main street and visitors’ center. English is widely spoken and displayed.

    Just be prepared for rain in the often-shifting weather, with webcams available from popular locations.

    And mind the guidance, even scolding, that some Faroese have posted for tourists who overstep.

    “Due to unmannerly behavior and lack of quietness on the graves, the cemetery is closed,” said a sign on the church in the village of Saksun.

    “Do not wash your shoes in the sink!” said a sign at the ferry stop on Kalsoy island. A worker at the island’s unexpected Thai restaurant — a sign of the small but growing migrant population — estimated that about 200 tourists a day came to a much-photographed lighthouse there this summer.

    The official Visit Faroe Islands doesn’t hold back, either, as it balances the appeal of growing tourism with the responsibility of warning travelers. Finding equilibrium is a long practice in the nation whose fishing-dominated economy requires cordial ties with a range of countries including Russia and China.

    “Stormcation,” the Visit Faroe Islands site declares, but adds: “Ferocious wind can overturn cars, fling bicycles, wheelbarrows — and sheep — or anything else that’s not anchored down.”

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  • Storm decimates 2 Alaskan villages and drives more than 1,500 people from their homes

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    JUNEAU, Alaska — JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — More rain and wind were forecast Wednesday along the Alaskan coast where two tiny villages were decimated by the remnants of Typhoon Halong and officials were scrambling to find shelter for more than 1,500 people driven from their homes.

    The weekend storm brought high winds and surf that battered the low-lying Alaska Native communities along the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in the southwestern part of the state, nearly 500 miles (800 km) from Anchorage. At least one person was killed and two were missing. The Coast Guard plucked two dozen people from their homes after the structures floated out to sea.

    Hundreds were staying in school shelters, including one with no working toilets, officials said. The weather system followed a storm that struck parts of western Alaska days earlier.

    Across the region, more than 1,500 people were displaced. Dozens were flown to a shelter set up in the National Guard armory in the regional hub city of Bethel, a community of 6,000 people, and officials were considering flying evacuees to longer-term shelter or emergency housing in Fairbanks and Anchorage.

    The hardest-hit communities included Kipnuk, population 715, and Kwigillingok, population 380. They are off the state’s main road system and reachable this time of year only by water or by air.

    “It’s catastrophic in Kipnuk. Let’s not paint any other picture,” Mark Roberts, incident commander with the state emergency management division, told a news conference Tuesday. “We are doing everything we can to continue to support that community, but it is as bad as you can think.”

    Among those awaiting evacuation to Bethel on Tuesday was Brea Paul, of Kipnuk, who said in a text message that she had seen about 20 homes floating away through the moonlight on Saturday night.

    “Some houses would blink their phone lights at us like they were asking for help but we couldn’t even do anything,” she wrote.

    The following morning, she recorded video of a house submerged nearly to its roofline as it floated past her home.

    Paul and her neighbors had a long meeting in the local school gym on Monday night. They sang songs as they tried to figure out what to do next, she said. Paul wasn’t sure where she would go.

    “It’s so heartbreaking saying goodbye to our community members not knowing when we’d get to see each other,” she said.

    About 30 miles (48 kilometers) away in Kwigillingok, one woman was found dead and authorities on Monday night called off the search for two men whose home floated away.

    The school was the only facility in town with full power, but it had no working toilet and 400 people stayed there Monday night. Workers were trying to fix the bathrooms; a situation report from the state emergency operations center on Tuesday noted that portable toilets, or “honey buckets,” were being used.

    A preliminary assessment showed every home in the village was damaged by the storm, with about three dozen having drifted from their foundations, the emergency management office said.

    Power systems flooded in Napakiak, and severe erosion was reported in Toksook Bay. In Nightmute, officials said fuel drums were reported floating in the community, and there was a scent of fuel in the air and a sheen on the water.

    The National Guard was activated to help with the emergency response, and crews were trying to take advantage of any breaks in the weather to fly in food, water, generators and communication equipment.

    Officials warned of a long road to recovery and a need for continued support for the hardest-hit communities. Most rebuilding supplies would have to be transported in and there is little time left with winter just around the corner.

    “Indigenous communities in Alaska are resilient,” said Rick Thoman, an Alaska climate specialist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. “But, you know, when you have an entire community where effectively every house is damaged and many of them will be uninhabitable with winter knocking at the door now, there’s only so much that any individual or any small community can do.”

    Thoman said the storm was likely fueled by the warm surface waters of the Pacific Ocean, which has been heating up because of human-caused climate change and making storms more intense.

    The remnants of another storm, Typhoon Merbok, caused damage across a massive swath of western Alaska three years ago.

    __

    Johnson and Attanasio reported from Seattle.

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  • Storm Decimates 2 Alaskan Villages and Drives More Than 1,500 People From Their Homes

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    JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — More rain and wind were forecast Wednesday along the Alaskan coast where two tiny villages were decimated by the remnants of Typhoon Halong and officials were scrambling to find shelter for more than 1,500 people driven from their homes.

    The weekend storm brought high winds and surf that battered the low-lying Alaska Native communities along the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in the southwestern part of the state, nearly 500 miles (800 km) from Anchorage. At least one person was killed and two were missing. The Coast Guard plucked two dozen people from their homes after the structures floated out to sea.

    Hundreds were staying in school shelters, including one with no working toilets, officials said. The weather system followed a storm that struck parts of western Alaska days earlier.

    Across the region, more than 1,500 people were displaced. Dozens were flown to a shelter set up in the National Guard armory in the regional hub city of Bethel, a community of 6,000 people, and officials were considering flying evacuees to longer-term shelter or emergency housing in Fairbanks and Anchorage.

    The hardest-hit communities included Kipnuk, population 715, and Kwigillingok, population 380. They are off the state’s main road system and reachable this time of year only by water or by air.

    “It’s catastrophic in Kipnuk. Let’s not paint any other picture,” Mark Roberts, incident commander with the state emergency management division, told a news conference Tuesday. “We are doing everything we can to continue to support that community, but it is as bad as you can think.”

    Among those awaiting evacuation to Bethel on Tuesday was Brea Paul, of Kipnuk, who said in a text message that she had seen about 20 homes floating away through the moonlight on Saturday night.

    “Some houses would blink their phone lights at us like they were asking for help but we couldn’t even do anything,” she wrote.

    The following morning, she recorded video of a house submerged nearly to its roofline as it floated past her home.

    Paul and her neighbors had a long meeting in the local school gym on Monday night. They sang songs as they tried to figure out what to do next, she said. Paul wasn’t sure where she would go.

    “It’s so heartbreaking saying goodbye to our community members not knowing when we’d get to see each other,” she said.

    About 30 miles (48 kilometers) away in Kwigillingok, one woman was found dead and authorities on Monday night called off the search for two men whose home floated away.

    The school was the only facility in town with full power, but it had no working toilet and 400 people stayed there Monday night. Workers were trying to fix the bathrooms; a situation report from the state emergency operations center on Tuesday noted that portable toilets, or “honey buckets,” were being used.

    A preliminary assessment showed every home in the village was damaged by the storm, with about three dozen having drifted from their foundations, the emergency management office said.

    Power systems flooded in Napakiak, and severe erosion was reported in Toksook Bay. In Nightmute, officials said fuel drums were reported floating in the community, and there was a scent of fuel in the air and a sheen on the water.

    The National Guard was activated to help with the emergency response, and crews were trying to take advantage of any breaks in the weather to fly in food, water, generators and communication equipment.


    Long road to recovery ahead, officials say

    Officials warned of a long road to recovery and a need for continued support for the hardest-hit communities. Most rebuilding supplies would have to be transported in and there is little time left with winter just around the corner.

    “Indigenous communities in Alaska are resilient,” said Rick Thoman, an Alaska climate specialist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. “But, you know, when you have an entire community where effectively every house is damaged and many of them will be uninhabitable with winter knocking at the door now, there’s only so much that any individual or any small community can do.”

    Thoman said the storm was likely fueled by the warm surface waters of the Pacific Ocean, which has been heating up because of human-caused climate change and making storms more intense.

    Johnson and Attanasio reported from Seattle.

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Oct. 2025

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  • Rare October storm brings heavy rain and possible mudslides to Southern California

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    LOS ANGELES — LOS ANGELES (AP) — Some homes were ordered evacuated in wildfire-scarred Los Angeles neighborhoods as Southern California was hit by a rare October storm that was expected to pummel the region with heavy rain, high winds and possible mudslides.

    “We’re very concerned about the weather,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said during a news conference Monday night, explaining that strike teams, rescue teams and helicopters were all ready to respond.

    The evacuations covered about 115 homes mostly in Pacific Palisades and Mandeville Canyon, both struck by a massive inferno in January that killed more than 30 people in all and destroyed over 17,000 homes and buildings in Los Angeles County. Wildfires can leave hillsides without vegetation to hold soil in place, making it easier for the terrain to loosen during storms.

    Bass and other officials warned residents across the region to remain alert and stay indoors. The worst was expected to begin early Tuesday and carry through the afternoon, and more than 16,000 had already lost power as of Monday night, according to PowerOutage.us.

    The storm could result in up to 4 inches (10.2 centimeters) of rain in some areas, according to the National Weather Service’s Los Angeles office, which described it as a “rare and very potent storm system.”

    Ariel Cohen, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service in Los Angeles, said the storm could even bring a couple of tornadoes, and one major challenge is its unpredictability.

    “The nature of this system is such that we cannot be certain about exactly when and where these impacts will strike, the exact details until right before they occur at the earliest,” he said.

    Teams from the Los Angeles Fire Department had started patrolling the area Monday night and a section of state Route 27, beginning at the Pacific Coast Highway, was closed in preparation for the storm, the California Department of Transportation, known as Caltrans, said on social media.

    The weather service also warned of high winds that could knock down trees and power lines.

    To the north, up to 3 feet (1 meter) of mountain snow was predicted for parts of the Sierra Nevadas.

    Heavy rain had already started falling Monday evening across much of Northern California, bringing some urban flooding around the San Francisco Bay Area.

    Gladstones Restaurant, located along the Pacific Coast Highway, said it was closing on Tuesday in anticipation of the heavy rains. The Pacific Palisades establishment is located at an intersection that has experienced heavy debris flow during past rains.

    In February, torrential rains unleashed debris flows and mudslides in several neighborhoods torched by the January fires. In the community of Sierra Madre, near the site of the Eaton Fire, water, debris and boulders rushed down the mountain, trapping cars in the mud and damaging several home garages. A portion of the Pacific Coast Highway by Pacific Palisades was submerged in at least 3 feet of sludge, and a swift debris flow swept a Los Angeles Fire Department vehicle into the ocean.

    Concerns about post-fire debris flows have been especially high since 2018, when the town of Montecito, up the coast from Los Angeles, was ravaged by mudslides after a downpour hit mountain slopes burned bare by a huge blaze. Hundreds of homes were damaged and 23 people died.

    Elsewhere in the U.S., Typhoon Halong brought hurricane-force winds and ravaging storm surges and floodwaters that swept some homes away in Alaska over the weekend. One person was dead and two were missing in western Alaska on Monday, while more than 50 people had been rescued — some plucked from rooftops.

    Officials warned of a long road to recovery and a need for continued support for the hardest-hit communities with winter just around the corner.

    In Tempe, Arizona, a microburst and thunderstorm on Monday dropped about a half-inch of rain within 10 minutes, the National Weather Service said. The storm caused significant damage, including uprooting trees that toppled onto vehicles and buildings, and dropping them on streets and sidewalks. A business complex had its roof torn off, and thousands of homes lost power.

    ___

    Golden reported from Seattle. Associated Press writer Becky Bohrer contributed from Juneau, Alaska.

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  • Rare October Storm Brings Heavy Rain and Possible Mudslides to Southern California

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    LOS ANGELES (AP) — Some homes were ordered evacuated in wildfire-scarred Los Angeles neighborhoods as Southern California was hit by a rare October storm that was expected to pummel the region with heavy rain, high winds and possible mudslides.

    “We’re very concerned about the weather,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said during a news conference Monday night, explaining that strike teams, rescue teams and helicopters were all ready to respond.

    The evacuations covered about 115 homes mostly in Pacific Palisades and Mandeville Canyon, both struck by a massive inferno in January that killed more than 30 people in all and destroyed over 17,000 homes and buildings in Los Angeles County. Wildfires can leave hillsides without vegetation to hold soil in place, making it easier for the terrain to loosen during storms.

    Bass and other officials warned residents across the region to remain alert and stay indoors. The worst was expected to begin early Tuesday and carry through the afternoon, and more than 16,000 had already lost power as of Monday night, according to PowerOutage.us.

    The storm could result in up to 4 inches (10.2 centimeters) of rain in some areas, according to the National Weather Service’s Los Angeles office, which described it as a “rare and very potent storm system.”

    Ariel Cohen, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service in Los Angeles, said the storm could even bring a couple of tornadoes, and one major challenge is its unpredictability.

    “The nature of this system is such that we cannot be certain about exactly when and where these impacts will strike, the exact details until right before they occur at the earliest,” he said.

    Teams from the Los Angeles Fire Department had started patrolling the area Monday night and a section of state Route 27, beginning at the Pacific Coast Highway, was closed in preparation for the storm, the California Department of Transportation, known as Caltrans, said on social media.

    The weather service also warned of high winds that could knock down trees and power lines.

    To the north, up to 3 feet (1 meter) of mountain snow was predicted for parts of the Sierra Nevadas.

    Heavy rain had already started falling Monday evening across much of Northern California, bringing some urban flooding around the San Francisco Bay Area.

    Gladstones Restaurant, located along the Pacific Coast Highway, said it was closing on Tuesday in anticipation of the heavy rains. The Pacific Palisades establishment is located at an intersection that has experienced heavy debris flow during past rains.

    In February, torrential rains unleashed debris flows and mudslides in several neighborhoods torched by the January fires. In the community of Sierra Madre, near the site of the Eaton Fire, water, debris and boulders rushed down the mountain, trapping cars in the mud and damaging several home garages. A portion of the Pacific Coast Highway by Pacific Palisades was submerged in at least 3 feet of sludge, and a swift debris flow swept a Los Angeles Fire Department vehicle into the ocean.

    Concerns about post-fire debris flows have been especially high since 2018, when the town of Montecito, up the coast from Los Angeles, was ravaged by mudslides after a downpour hit mountain slopes burned bare by a huge blaze. Hundreds of homes were damaged and 23 people died.

    Elsewhere in the U.S., Typhoon Halong brought hurricane-force winds and ravaging storm surges and floodwaters that swept some homes away in Alaska over the weekend. One person was dead and two were missing in western Alaska on Monday, while more than 50 people had been rescued — some plucked from rooftops.

    Officials warned of a long road to recovery and a need for continued support for the hardest-hit communities with winter just around the corner.

    In Tempe, Arizona, a microburst and thunderstorm on Monday dropped about a half-inch of rain within 10 minutes, the National Weather Service said. The storm caused significant damage, including uprooting trees that toppled onto vehicles and buildings, and dropping them on streets and sidewalks. A business complex had its roof torn off, and thousands of homes lost power.

    Golden reported from Seattle. Associated Press writer Becky Bohrer contributed from Juneau, Alaska.

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Oct. 2025

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  • High Tides Raise Flood Risk in Carolinas as Tropical Storms Churn in Atlantic and Pacific

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    MIAMI (AP) — A storm without a name and unusual king tides were causing some flooding on the Carolina coast early Friday as tropical storms churned in the Atlantic and along Mexico’s Pacific coast.

    About a dozen streets were already flooded in Charleston, South Carolina, and the city offered free parking in some garages. A high tide of 8.5 feet (2.6 meters) was forecast Friday morning, which would be the 13th highest in more than a century of recorded data in Charleston Harbor.

    The unnamed coastal storm and unusually high king tides, when the moon is closer than usual to the Earth, threatened to bring days of heavy winds that could cause coastal flooding, especially along the vulnerable Outer Banks of North Carolina and around Charleston.

    Along the Outer Banks, forecasters said the worst weather should occur Friday through the weekend. They warned it was likely that highway N.C. 12 on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands would likely have to close again because of ocean overwash.

    In the Pacific, Tropical Storms Priscilla and Raymond threatened heavy rain along the Mexican coast, and Priscilla could cause flash flooding across the U.S. Southwest through the weekend. Flood watches were issued for parts of Arizona, California and Nevada.

    Priscilla was centered about 190 miles (300 kilometers) west-northwest of Cabo San Lazaro, Mexico, and moving north at 6 mph (9 kph) with maximum sustained winds of about 50 mph (85 kph).

    A tropical storm warning associated with Raymond was issued from Zihuatanejo to Cabo Corrientes, Mexico. Raymond was forecast to remain off the southwestern coast of Mexico through Friday before nearing Baja California Sur on Saturday and Sunday.

    Raymond was about 95 miles (150 kilometers) south-southeast of Zihuatanejo, Mexico. It had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 15 mph (24 kph), forecasters said.

    In the Atlantic, Jerry was passing east of the northern Leeward Islands and causing heavy rainfall. Officials in Guadeloupe warned of potential power outages.

    Jerry was centered about 65 miles (100 kilometers) east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands and moving northwest at 16 mph (26 kph) with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph).

    A tropical storm warning was in effect for Barbuda and Anguilla, St. Barthelemy and St. Martin, Sint Maarten and Guadeloupe and the adjacent islands. A tropical storm watch was in effect for Antigua, St. Kitts, Nevis and Montserrat and Saba and St. Eustatius, the hurricane center said.

    The storm should strengthen into a hurricane Saturday. The Nor’easter expected to send rain and pounding waves into the Southeast U.S. is helping steer Jerry away from the islands and into the open Atlantic, forecasters said.

    Also Thursday, Subtropical Storm Karen formed far from land in the north Atlantic Ocean. Karen had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph) and was expected to maintain that strength through the day.

    A subtropical storm tends to have a wide zone of strong winds farther from its center compared to a tropical storm, which generates heavier rains, according to the U.S. National Weather Service.

    About seven weeks remain in the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, and meteorologists warned the Pacific Ocean cooling pattern called La Nina, which can warp weather worldwide and turbocharge hurricanes, has returned.

    It may be too late in the hurricane season to impact tropical weather in the Atlantic, but this La Nina may have other impacts from heavy rains to drought across the globe.

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Oct. 2025

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  • La Nina is back, but it’s weak. Will it still amp up the Atlantic hurricane season?

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    WASHINGTON — WASHINGTON (AP) — La Nina, the cooler and at times costlier flip side of El Nino, has arrived to warp weather worldwide, meteorologists said Thursday. This natural weather phenomenon often turbocharges the Atlantic hurricane season, but this La Nina may be too weak and fleeting to cause much trouble.

    In the United States, La Nina often means more precipitation — including possible snowstorms — in northern areas and winter dryness in the South. It can bring heavier rains in Indonesia, the Philippines, parts of Australia, Central America, northern South America and southeastern Africa. It also can mean drought in the Middle East, eastern Argentina, eastern China, Korea and southern Japan, meteorologists said.

    A La Nina occurs when certain parts of the Central Pacific Ocean cool by half a degree Celsius (0.9 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to normal. The world had been flirting with one this year and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared Thursday that La Nina conditions have formed. But it’s likely to be not very strong and may disappear in the next few months, based on multi-factor computer model forecasts by NOAA and Columbia University, said Michelle L’Heureux, lead scientist on the NOAA team that studies both La Nina and El Nino.

    “There is a three out of four chance it will remain a weak event,” L’Heureux said in an email. “A weaker event tends to exert less of an influence on the global circulation, so it’s possible there will be surprises ahead.”

    Surprising already describes the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which was forecast to be stronger than normal, but so far is a tad below average in activity. Traditionally, during a La Nina, there’s a weakening of the wind shear that hampers hurricane formation and strengthening, allowing more and bigger storms, especially later in the year, such as late October and into early November and in the Caribbean, said University of Albany hurricane expert Brian Tang.

    But Brian McNoldy, who studies tropical cyclones, sea level rise and extreme heat at the University of Miami, said he thinks this La Nina is too late and too little to do much.

    The conditions, especially wind shear, favor more hurricane activity, yet it’s not happening and long-range computer models don’t show much forming for the next couple weeks, said Colorado State University hurricane expert Phil Klotzbach.

    Winter a year ago had a similar weak La Nina but there were still some signs of its impact, L’Heureux said.

    Some studies have shown that in the United States, La Nina can be more costly than its warmer El Nino cousin. A 1999 economic study found that drought from La Nina cost U.S. agriculture between $2.2 billion to $6.5 billion, which is far more than the $1.5 billion cost of El Nino.

    A cold La Nina is not always the more expensive version, but it is often the case, said research scientist Azhar Ehsan, who heads Columbia University’s El Nino/La Nina forecasting.

    ___

    The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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  • Tropical Storm Priscilla forms in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico

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    Tropical Storm Priscilla forms in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico

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  • Want to Live Longer? Move Closer to the Ocean 

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    If you want to increase your chances of living longer, there are all kinds of common-sense changes you can make to your life. As we all know, more exercise, vegetables, and socializing, and less booze, stress and cigarettes can hopefully buy you a few extra years. 

    But according to a new study there’s another change that might help you squeeze out another good year or two that you probably haven’t considered — living closer to the ocean. 

    It’s not exactly a secret that spending time near the ocean is pleasant and life-affirming for many people. Millions of us flock to the beach every summer for this very reason. But can the positive qualities of being near the sea actually add years to your life? 

    That’s what a team out of te Ohio State University recently aimed to determine with a huge number-crunching exercise. They gathered data on life expectancy and other demographic factors for more than 66,000 U.S. census tracts and also analyzed each area’s proximity to various bodies of water. Were there any links between the two, the team wanted to know. 

    Their results were recently published in Environmental Research, and the short answer is yes. The details were a bit more complicated. 

    You might expect living near a lake or river should have much the same effects on health and longevity as living near the ocean. People enjoy these kinds of places in much the same way, after all. But that’s not what the numbers showed. Seaside living has special benefits. Having a river pass through your town, not so much. 

    “Overall, the coastal residents were expected to live a year or more longer than the 79-year average, and those who lived in more urban areas near inland rivers and lakes were likely to die by about 78 or so,” commented  lead researcher Jianyong Wu.

    Why living near the ocean is so beneficial 

    Why does living within 30 miles of the sea appear uniquely beneficial? The researchers conducted a variety of statistical tests to try to untangle the reasons. 

    The most obvious answer is that many coastal areas are wildly expensive places to live. If you call Malibu or the Hamptons home ,you are probably rich, and being rich helps you live longer. 

    That’s definitely part of the explanation, according to the researchers, but it’s not all of it. Coastal areas also have fewer extremely hot and cold days, which stress the body, as well as better air quality. They also often have more facilities and opportunities for recreation. All of these factors likely contribute to keeping those who live near the ocean alive a little bit longer. 

    The ‘Blue Mind’ theory  

    Though it’s harder for number crunching to prove it, there may also be subtler psychological reasons being by the sea seems to help people live a bit longer too. As Wharton psychologist Adam Grant explained, “recent experiments show that after just two minutes of viewing water outdoors, blood pressure and heart rate drop. It’s more calming to look at a lake, pool, or stream than trees or grass. And wider bodies of water bring more tranquility.” 

    Grant is referencing something called the “Blue Mind” theory here. The idea, developed by marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols and others, is that the ocean was a particularly inviting environment for our distant ancestors. It provided plenty of easily gathered seafood to nourish us and the open landscape made it easier to move around and spot predators. 

    As a result, over millennia humans developed a deep affinity for coastal environments. Which is why being by any water seems to make us happy, but being by the ocean has the greatest calming — and therefore health-giving effect — of all. 

    Oceanside towns you can actually afford to live in 

    The authors of the Ohio State study don’t weigh in on whether humans have some deep psychic tie to the sea forged in our distant past. But they are clear in their conclusion that, whatever the mix of causes, living near the ocean is uniquely good for us in ways that living near a lake or river isn’t. 

    So good in fact that being near the ocean just might add a year or so to your life. 

    Taking advantage of this insight could, of course, be pretty pricey. Most coastal real estate is eye-wateringly expensive. But as Apartment Therapy points out, it doesn’t have to be. The real estate and design blog helpfully dug up 18 affordable beach towns where you might actually be able to make ends meet. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Jessica Stillman

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  • Former Google CEO Will Fund Boat Drones to Explore Rough Antarctic Waters

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    A foundation created by Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, will fund a project to send drone boats out into the rough ocean around Antarctica to collect data that could help solve a crucial climate puzzle. The project is part of a suite of funding announced today from Schmidt Sciences, which Schmidt and his wife Wendy created to focus on projects tackling research into the global carbon cycle. It will spend $45 million over the next five years to fund these projects, which includes the Antarctic research.

    “The ocean provides this really critical climate regulation service to all of us, and yet we don’t understand it as well as we could,” says Galen McKinley, a professor of environmental sciences at Columbia University and the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory and one of the lead scientists on the project. “I’m just really excited to see how much this data can really pull together the community of people who are trying to understand and quantify the ocean carbon sink.”

    The world’s oceans are its largest carbon sinks, absorbing about a third of the CO2 humans put into the atmosphere each year. One of the most important carbon sinks is the Southern Ocean, the body of water surrounding Antarctica. Despite being the second smallest of the world’s five oceans, the Southern Ocean is responsible for about 40 percent of all ocean-based carbon dioxide absorption.

    Scientists, however, know surprisingly little about why, exactly, the Southern Ocean is such a successful carbon sink. What’s more, climate models that successfully predict ocean carbon absorption elsewhere in the world have diverged significantly when it comes to the Southern Ocean.

    One of the biggest issues with understanding more about what’s going on in the Southern Ocean is simply a lack of data. This is thanks in part to the extreme conditions in the region. The Drake Passage, which runs between South America and Argentina, is one of the toughest stretches of ocean for ships, due to incredibly strong currents around Antarctica and dangerous winds; it’s even rougher in the winter months. The ocean also has a particularly pronounced cloud cover, Crisp says, which makes satellite observations difficult.

    “The Southern Ocean is really far away, so we just haven’t done a lot of science there,” says McKinley. “It is a very big ocean, and it is this dramatic and scary place to go.”

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    Molly Taft

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  • 5 homes collapse into the surf of the Outer Banks as hurricanes rumble in Atlantic

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    Five unoccupied houses along North Carolina’s Outer Banks collapsed into the ocean Tuesday as Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda rumbled in the Atlantic, the National Park Service said, marking the latest private beachfront structures to fall into the surf there in recent years.

    The homes, once propped on high stilts, collapsed in the afternoon in Buxton, a community on the string of islands that make up the Outer Banks, said Mike Barber, a spokesperson for the park service.

    No injures were reported, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore said in a post on social media.

    In videos shown by the local station 13News Now, homes teetered on stilts battered by the waves before plunging into the surf. The shoreline was clogged with debris, two-by-fours, cushions and an entire home as wave after wave rolled in from the Atlantic.

    The post said that more collapses were possible given the ocean conditions, and urged visitors to avoid Tuesday’s sites, including areas several miles south to stay clear of debris.

    North Carolina’s coast is almost entirely made up of narrow, low-lying barrier islands that have been eroding for years as the sea level rises. Seventeen privately owned houses have collapsed on Seashore beaches since 2020, the park service said.

    The first 15 were north of Buxton in Rodanthe, but a Buxton home fell into the surf two weeks ago.

    The threat to these structures often builds when storms affect the region, as is the case with the two latest hurricanes, even as they headed further out in the Atlantic.

    Portions of eastern North Carolina were subject to coastal flood advisories and warnings, the National Weather Service said, while dangerous surf conditions were expected in the area through the rest of the week.

    Ocean overwash on Tuesday also prompted the state Transportation Department to close a portion of North Carolina Highway 12 on Ocracoke Island. The ferry connecting Ocracoke and Hatteras islands also was suspended Tuesday, the department said.

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  • Scientists find marine life thriving on World War II explosives in the Baltic Sea

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    NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — An undersea submersible has spotted crabs, worms and fish thriving on the surfaces of World War II explosives thought to be toxic to marine life.

    At a former weapons dump site in the Baltic Sea, scientists found more creatures living on top of warheads than in the surrounding seabed.

    “We were prepared to see significantly lower numbers of all kinds of animals,” said study author Andrey Vedenin with the Senckenberg Research Institute in Germany. “But it turned out the opposite.”

    Past conflicts have left their mark on the world’s oceans, Vedenin said. German waters alone contain about 1.6 million tons (1.5 million metric tonnes) of dumped weapons, mostly from the two world wars in the 20th century. Dumped relics can contain nuclear and chemical remnants as well as explosives like TNT.

    It’s the latest example of wildlife flourishing in polluted sites. Previous research has shown shipwrecks and former weapons complexes teeming with biodiversity.

    In the new study, researchers filmed networks of anemones, starfish and other underwater life in the Bay of Lübeck off the coast of Germany. They were lurking on pieces of V-1 flying bombs used by Nazi Germany.

    “Normally, one does not study the ecology of bombs,” said University of Georgia ecologist James Porter, who was not involved with the research.

    The research was published Thursday in the journal Communications Earth and Environment.

    Why would sea creatures make their home on contaminated weapons? They could be drawn to the hard surfaces, which are in short supply in the Baltic Sea. The seafloor is mainly a flat bed of mud and sand because stones and boulders were fished out of the water for construction in the 1800s and 1900s, Vedenin said.

    The area is also fairly isolated from human activity because of the chemicals, creating a somewhat protective bubble for the critters to thrive despite some toxic tradeoffs.

    Scientists hope to calculate how much contamination was absorbed by sea life. Another important next step is to see what happens after the critters settle and whether they’re capable of reproducing, Porter said.

    Studies like these are a testament to how nature takes advantage of human leftovers, flipping the script to survive, said marine conservation biologist David Johnston with Duke University. He recently mapped sunken World War I ships that have become habitats for wildlife along the Potomac River in Maryland.

    “I think it’s a really cool testimony to the strength of life,” Johnston said.

    ___

    The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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  • The World’s Oceans Are Hurtling Toward Breaking Point

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    For life on Earth, the oceans are essential. Not only do they supply us with food and resources, they also play a big role in maintaining a stable climate: between one-quarter to one-third of all CO2 emitted by humans, which would otherwise stay in the atmosphere to further intensify climate change, is captured and stored by the sea.

    But the oceans are in trouble. Already facing an onslaught of human pressures—including overfishing, pollution, rising temperatures, and acidification—the world’s seas could see the burden placed on them double over the next couple of decades. This would have huge negative consequences for biodiversity as well as for humans around the world.

    An international team, led by the National Center for Ecosystem Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) at the University of California, Santa Barbara, has modeled how the pressure placed on the world’s oceans could change in the future. Their analysis projects that by around 2050, the cumulative pressure on the oceans could increase 2.2- to 2.6-fold compared to today. The most rapid increases in impact will occur near the equator, at the poles, and in coastal areas.

    “Our cumulative impact on the oceans, which is already substantial, is going to double by 2050—in just 25 years,” Ben Halpern, marine ecologist and director of NCEAS, explained in a university statement. “It’s sobering. And it’s unexpected, not because impacts will be increasing—that is not surprising—but because they will be increasing so much, so fast.”

    Halpern and his team, in cooperation with Nelson Mandela University in South Africa, integrated 17 datasets from around the world to create a comprehensive global model of the extent and intensity of the impacts of human activities on the ocean. Past studies have often dealt with the impacts of specific activities in isolation; the current study integrates these activities to more clearly highlight the future vision of the marine environment.

    What emerges is a picture of further deterioration in already heavily impacted areas, such as coastal waters, as well as rapidly expanding impacts across the high seas, which have been relatively stable until now. In equatorial regions, the impact of human activities could increase nearly three-fold between the 2040s and 2050s.

    Specific major impacts include rising sea temperatures, declining marine resources due to fishing, rising sea levels, acidification of seawater (which is a consequence of CO2 dissolving in the sea), and algal blooms due to the influx of nutrients that flow into the ocean, principally from farms. While these burdens are each serious in isolation, their combined effects could exceed the resilience of ecosystems and lead to irreversible losses.

    Researchers warn that this cumulative impact will then hit society—for instance, by lowering food supplies, killing off jobs in tourism and fishing, flooding low-lying lands, and destroying coral reefs that protect coastlines from storm surges and tsunamis. There will be direct impacts on human livelihoods and economies, leading to regional economic instability, Halpern said.

    Developing countries and small island nations in particular do not have the economic wherewithal to take adaptation measures, despite their often heavy dependence on marine resources. The cumulative effects will therefore appear unevenly across countries. Oceanic change is not just an environmental issue; it is an issue that concerns the stability of the international community as a whole.

    However, the projections of this study are only possibilities; such a future does not have to arrive. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions to lessen climate change and ocean acidification, systematically managing fisheries resources, avoiding coastal pollution, and preserving coastal mangroves and salt marshes may help to mitigate the deterioration. There is still room to minimize the impact.

    This story originally appeared on WIRED Japan and has been translated from Japanese.

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    Ritsuko Kawai

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  • A primer on what the high seas treaty is and how it will work

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    The approval of a high seas treaty means new protections will be possible in international waters for the first time.

    Here’s a rundown of what the treaty is, why it matters and what is still to come.

    Formally known as the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, the treaty is the first legally binding agreement aimed at protecting marine biodiversity in international waters. These areas, which lie beyond the jurisdiction of any single country, account for nearly two-thirds of the ocean and nearly half of Earth’s surface.

    Until now, no comprehensive legal framework existed to create marine protected areas or enforce conservation on the high seas.

    Despite their remoteness, the high seas are under growing pressure from overfishing, climate change and the threat of deep-sea mining. Environmental advocates warn that without proper protections, marine ecosystems in international waters face irreversible harm.

    “Until now, it has been the wild west on the high seas,” said Megan Randles, global political lead for oceans at Greenpeace. “Now we have a chance to properly put protections in place.”

    The treaty is also essential to achieving what’s known as the global “30×30” target — an international pledge to protect 30% of the planet’s land and sea by 2030.

    The treaty creates a legal process for countries to establish marine protected areas in the high seas, including rules for potentially destructive activities like deep-sea mining and geoengineering. It also establishes a framework for technology-sharing, funding mechanisms and scientific collaboration among countries.

    Crucially, decisions under the treaty will be made multilaterally through what’s called a conference of the parties rather than by individual countries acting alone.

    Ratification Friday by a 60th nation triggered a 120-day countdown before the treaty enters into force. Countries can already begin planning high seas protected areas, but formal proposals will only move forward once oversight mechanisms and decision-making rules are established.

    The first conference of the parties must be held within a year of the treaty taking effect. It will lay the groundwork for implementation, including decisions on governance, financing and the creation of key bodies to evaluate marine protection proposals.

    Environmental groups are pushing for even more countries to ratify the treaty and to do so quickly — the more countries that ratify, the stronger and more representative the treaty’s implementation will be. There’s a carrot for countries to do so. Only those that ratify by that first conference will be eligible to vote on critical decisions that determine how the treaty will operate.

    ___

    Follow Annika Hammerschlag on Instagram @ahammergram

    ___

    The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment

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  • Wreck of ship that sank nearly a century ago found 200 feet underwater

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    A dive team has identified a shipwreck off the coast of Nantucket as a World War I-era fishing boat that sank nearly 100 years ago with more than 20 men aboard. 

    The ST Seiner was last seen in January 1929, according to a news release from the Atlantic Wreck Salvage, a company that searches for lost wrecks. The 139-foot ship, built in 1921, set sail from New London, Connecticut, on Jan. 9. The ship’s captain made his last daily report to the Portland Trawling Company on Jan. 18. The next day, no report was made. The ship was set to arrive in port on Jan. 22, but never did, according to the news release. The news release did not say which port the ship was headed to. 

    Seiner’s sister ship, Harvard, which shares some features with the Seiner. The vessel’s windlass, hawsepipe, and raised forecastle deck are visible in the photo.

    Boothbay Historical Society


    The Seiner was believed to have foundered and sank in a storm, the news release said. There were 21 men, including the captain, aboard when the ship went down. The men were from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Newfoundland, Canada. 

    The Portland Trawling Company and the U.S. Coast Guard mounted a search and rescue mission at the time, but no survivors were found. Previous attempts to search for the wreck in the 1990s failed because of the location of the wreck site. 

    In 2022, a team used Atlantic Wreck Salvage’s search vessel D/V Tenacious to discover the wreck site on Georges Bank, about 125 miles off the coast of Nantucket. The wreck site was about 200 feet underwater, the company said. Time and weather conditions meant the team members could not dive down to the wreckage. The shipwreck was not identified at the time. 

    In July 2025, the team returned to the site and made a total of seven dives over two days. The team was able to identify the wreck as that of the Seiner.

    7-rounded-stern.jpg

    Diver Joe Mazraani photographs the Seiner’s rounded stern. 

    Andrew Donn


    The ship had a number of distinctive features, including a double drum trawl winch and a raised forecastle deck, which helped divers confirm its identity, the news release said. Divers also took note of the ship’s steam engine and boiler. Photos taken by the dive team show the ship’s unique features.  

    Sonar scans confirmed that the sunken vessel’s length and beam matched that of the Seiner. 

    “No other steel or iron hull steam trawlers of this size are known to have sunk on Georges Bank,” said Captain Eric Takakjian, one of the leaders of the expedition, in the news release. 

    1-winch.jpg

    The Seiner’s double drum trawl winch.

    Joe Mazraani and Becca Boring


    Jennifer Sellitti, the managing member of Atlantic Wreck Salvage, said that the discovery is “bittersweet.” The company said that the descendants of the men lost aboard the ship are encouraged to reach out to them. 

    “While the team celebrates this important historical find, we are mindful of the loss endured by the families, colleagues, and loved one of those who went down with the ship,” Sellitti said. “We hope this discovery can provide some measure of closure to the descendants of those who perished.” 

    Kerry Breen

    Kerry Breen is a news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University’s Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News’ TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.

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  • Another beachfront stilt house collapses into the surf on the Outer Banks

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    BUXTON, N.C. — A beachfront stilt home along the Outer Banks in North Carolina has collapsed into the surf, bringing the total number of houses claimed by the Atlantic Ocean to 12 in the past five years.

    The two-story, wood-shingled home at the north end of Hatteras Island collapsed Tuesday afternoon, littering the sand with nail-studded debris. The house was unoccupied, said Mike Barber, a spokesman for the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

    “Seashore staff are out today, cleaning up the beach to the south of the collapse site,” Barber said in an email Wednesday. He said the homeowner has also hired a contractor to “work primarily near the house collapse site to remove the bulk of the remaining house structure and nearby debris associated with the collapse.”

    The previous 11 home collapses since May 2020 were all in the tiny village of Rodanthe, the eastern-most point in North Carolina, and made famous by novelist Nicholas Sparks. During the state’s recent brush with Hurricane Erin, many locals were watching two beachfront houses there, but they survived the surf.

    The latest house to succumb was less than a mile (1.6 kilometers) from the famed Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, which was moved 2,900 feet (884 meters) inland in 1999 to save it from erosion.

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  • Australia to deploy fleet of underwater attack drones dubbed

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    Australia will spend $1.1 billion on building dozens of locally developed underwater attack drones, Defense Minister Richard Marles said on Wednesday.

    The first of the stealthy, long-range “Ghost Sharks” will be delivered to the Australian navy in January next year under a five-year contract with Sydney-based Anduril Australia, Marles said.

    “Australia is leading the world in terms of autonomous, underwater military capabilities,” Marles told reporters in Sydney.

    The large, autonomous underwater vehicles would significantly boost Australia’s undersea warfare capabilities, complementing a fleet of submarines powered with U.S. nuclear technology, Marles said.

    The first of those submarines provided under the AUKUS partnership with the United States and Britain won’t be delivered to Australia until 2032.

    Australian Minister for Defense Industry Pat Conroy and Defense Minister Richard Marles, left, are pictured with an autonomous undersea vehicle known as the Ghost Shark at HMAS Kuttabul naval base in Sydney, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. 

    Mick Tsikas / AP


    Marles would not say precisely how many Ghost Sharks would be built. But he said the Australian navy would be provided with “dozens” over the next five years.

    He also wouldn’t comment on the Ghost Sharks’ range other than to describe it as “very long range.”

    As an island continent and a trading nation, Australia sees the possibility of its sea routes being blocked by an enemy as a major strategic threat.

    A Chinese navy flotilla conducted a live-fire exercise in the sea between Australia and New Zealand in February in what was widely regarded as a demonstration of China’s growing military reach.

    The flotilla almost completely circumnavigated Australia. The Chinese navy rarely travels so far south.

    California-based Anduril Industries was contracted in 2022 to produce three Ghost Shark prototypes for the Australian navy.

    The Ghost Shark is designed to perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance roles as well as strike operations, a government statement said.

    Chief of Navy Vice Adm. Mark Hammond said the drones could be launched from the shore and from surface ships.

    Hammond said he expected the “undersea battlespace” will become increasingly congested and contested.

    “I believe our allies and partners will continue to enjoy a capability advantage in that space provided we invest in capabilities like Ghost Shark and others as well as our crewed systems for years to come,” Hammond said.

    Last year, the partnership announced that Japan would work with AUKUS on maritime autonomy and, according to the official, there are also conversations with Canada, South Korea, and New Zealand about potential projects on emerging capabilities. 

    Last month, Australia said it would also upgrade its navy with 11 Mogami-class frigates built by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, first entering service by 2030.

    Billed as one of Japan’s biggest defence export deals since World War II, Australia has agreed to pay US$6 billion over the next 10 years to acquire the fleet of stealth frigates.

    Mogami-class warships — advanced stealth frigates equipped with a potent array of weapons — are to replace Australia’s ageing fleet of Anzac-class vessels.

    China has accused AUKUS of provoking a nuclear arms race and disrupting peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region. 

    Agence France-Presse contributed to this report.  

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