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Idaho earthquake measured at magnitude 6.5; state’s largest in nearly 40 years

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A magnitude-6.5 earthquake  – Idaho’s largest in nearly 40 years – hit the state Tuesday evening.

The quake’s epicenter was outside of Stanley, about 80 miles northeast of Boise, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Shaking was also felt in Oregon, eastern Washington, Montana and as far north as Canada, Boise State Public Radio reported.

Utah earthquake of 5.7-magnitude rocks Salt Lake City, leaves tens of thousands without power

“Stuff was flying all over the place,” Stanley Mayor Steve Botti said, the Statesman reported. “I was upstairs and I tried to walk down the steps and I couldn’t because it was shaking too much.”

“Stuff was flying all over the place. I was upstairs and I tried to walk down the steps and I couldn’t because it was shaking too much.”

— Mayor Steve Botti, Stanley, Idaho

“At my house, pictures flew off the wall and stuff fell, but there was no structural damage,” Botti said, according to the Boise radio station. “But it was very loud. It sounded like a freight train and very severe shaking.”

There were at least nine aftershocks but no immediate reports of significant damage or injuries, according to the Idaho Statesman.

It was the most powerful earthquake since a 6.9-magnitude struck Borah Peak in 1983, killing two people, according to the Statesman. It would also be the second-largest in the state’s recorded history if it isn’t downgraded.

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The quake came less than two weeks after a 5.7-magnitude hit Salt Lake City.

The USGS said more aftershocks should follow in the next several days, according to the Statesman.

Arkansas tornado rips through mall, empty because of coronavirus: ‘Blessing in disguise’

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A fierce tornado tearing through Arkansas on Saturday left six people injured and caused major damage to a local shopping mall and airport.

Extensive damage occurred at the Mall at Turtle Creek in Jonesboro, although most stores were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. A Best Buy store was rendered nearly unrecognizable.

“At 5 o’clock on a Saturday afternoon that place would’ve been packed, and at this point there was hardly anyone in there,” Jonesboro E-911 Director Jeff Presley said. “It’s a blessing in disguise.”

MIDWEST BRACES FOR STORMS, TORNADOES AMID CORONAVIRUS, STAY AT HOME ORDERS

Those hurt in the college city of roughly 75,000 people — about 130 miles northeast of Little Rock — were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, Presley said. The National Weather Service issued tornado warning around 4:47 p.m. local time and the twister touched down just after 5 p.m., per the Washington Post.

Photos of a destroyed hangar and a graveyard of planes were also captured at the Jonesboro Municipal Airport.

One resident recorded video from inside his phone shop of the massive tornado tossing debris around like it was nothing.

U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, D-Ark., described the effects of the twister and called for support for the community.

“In the midst of everything, a tornado just went through the heart of town,” Crawford added. “None of my staff have been hurt and my family are okay. Unsure of others – please pray for first responders now being dispatched.”

MISSISSIPPI TORNADO LEVELS DOLLAR GENERAL STORE, DAMAGES OTHER BUILDINGS

A livestream by KAIT-TV in Jonesboro showed extensive damage to some of the city’s businesses. Arkansas State University said on Twitter that its campus wasn’t damaged.

Power was out in sections of the city and some of the wreckage tossed by the tornado was seen blocking roads. Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin issued a 7 p.m. curfew, and authorities asked people not to drive around.

The home of Dr. Jared Burks, who has been living apart from his wife Alyssa and their son Zeke in Northeast Arkansas while he treats patients with COVID-19 was completely destroyed, per Little Rock’s KATV-TV. All three family members were safe.

Forecasters with the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., warned that a severe weather outbreak was possible later Saturday for much of the central U.S.

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The National Weather Service reported other possible tornadoes Saturday in Illinois and Iowa and had issued a rare “Particularly Dangerous Situation” for parts of the Midwest through Saturday night.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Mississippi tornado levels Dollar General store, damages other buildings

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A tornado ripped through northeastern Mississippi on Tuesday evening, leveling a Dollar General store and damaging several other buildings.

After the twister passed, the store in Tishomingo, about 242 milies northeast of Jackson, near the Alabama and Tennessee state lines, was a pile of rubble, video posted on social media showed.

The tornado also caused minor injuries, as a severe storm system crossed into other parts of the South, authorities said.

Damage in Tishomingo was reported throughout the small town of fewer than 350 people after the storm moved through around 5:30 p.m. local time, the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Memphis reported.

CORONAVIRUS AND TORNADO SHELTERS: HERE’S WHAT FORECASTERS SAY YOU SHOULD DO DURING A WARNING

“Tornado confirmed near the community of Tishomingo, moving east. Seek shelter now!” the agency said.

Tishomingo police Chief Mike Kemp told Tupelo’s WTVA-TV that some residents suffered minor injuries. Trees were also uprooted, with some blocking roadways.

Structural damage along County Roads 106 and 123 south of Highway 30 near Tishomingo was also reported by a storm spotter, according to the Weather Channel.

The large twister was captured passing through the area by Bailey Reece, according to WTVA.

After going through Tishomingo, the tornado crossed the border into northern Alabama, which caused the NWS to issue a tornado emergency, according to AccuWeather.

“At 5:41 p.m. CDT, a confirmed large and destructive tornado was observed near Tishomingo State Park, moving east at 45 mph,” the emergency bulletin read, per the media company.

The National Weather Service in Huntsville, Ala., tweeted shortly before 6 p.m. that “TORNADO HAS BEEN REPORTED ON THE GROUND” and told residents in an area of Colbert County in north Alabama to seek shelter. That county also abuts the Mississippi state line.

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The weather service also said there were preliminary reports of falling debris in the area.

Robert Boyd, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Huntsville, said severe weather warnings had been issued for northwest Alabama on Tuesday evening.

The thunderstorms later moved into areas of Tennessee.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

What is the Stafford Act?

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President Trump on Friday invoked the Stafford Act while declaring a national emergency to help battle the coronavirus pandemic.

“I worked very closely with Governor Cuomo, and this is the first time in our nation’s history that a president used the Stafford Act to declare a major disaster response to a public health crisis,” Trump said during Saturday’s White House coronavirus task force press briefing. “Never happened before. I’m considering other areas where we may or may not be doing that.”

So just what is the Stafford Act?

President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Briefing Room, Tuesday, March 24, 2020, in Washington. 
(AP)

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988, named after for former Vermont Republican Sen. Robert Stafford, allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help state and local governments during natural catastrophes.

The act is usually used in response to natural disasters like hurricanes and floods, having been most recently invoked when tornadoes hit Tennessee. But some of its provisions are useful in response to a pandemic like the coronavirus.

In a letter earlier this month, Trump signaled he would invoke the Stafford Act “based on the fact that our entire country is now facing a significant public health emergency.”

A president may invoke the Stafford Act when state and local officials have determined that an appropriate response to a “major disaster” – like a hurricane or earthquake – exceeds their resources. These areas will then have access to the Disaster Relief Fund, which currently contains about $35 billion.

TRUMP CALLS FOR RESTARTING ECONOMY BY EASTER: ‘WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO WORK’

Trump’s assertion that he is the first president to use the Stafford Act for a public health crisis is not entirely accurate. President Bill Clinton used the act in 2000 in response to West Nile outbreaks in New Jersey and New York.

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According to a 2015 Congressional Research Service report, the act was used 56 times between 2000 and 2009 during natural disasters and non-pandemic emergencies.

Croatia earthquake shakes capital Zagreb, damaging buildings

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ZAGREB, Croatia — A strong earthquake shook Croatia and its capital on Sunday, causing widespread damage and panic. A 15-year-old was reported in critical condition and others were injured, news outlets reported.

The European seismological agency, EMSC, said the earthquake measured 5.3 and struck a wide area north of the capital, Zagreb, at 6:23 a.m. (0523 GMT) Sunday. The epicenter was 7 kilometers (4 miles) north of Zagreb at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles).

Many buildings in Zagreb cracked and walls and rooftops were damaged. Downtown streets were littered with debris. Concrete slabs fell on cars and chimneys landed in front of entrances.

A bicycle is crushed by falling debris after an earthquake in Zagreb, Croatia, Sunday, March 22, 2020. A strong earthquake shook Croatia and its capital on Sunday, causing widespread damage and panic .(Associated Press)

MAGNITUDE 7.7 EARTHQUAKE STRIKES BETWEEN CUBA, JAMAICA

Photographs from the scene show mothers dressed in nightgowns hugging their newborn babies in a parking lot as they evacuated a maternity hospital amid freezing temperatures.

Zagreb’s iconic cathedral was also damaged with the top of one of its two spires collapsing. The cathedral was rebuilt after it toppled in the 1880 earthquake.

Power was cut as people ran out of their homes. Several fires were also reported. At least two other tremors were recorded later. Residents shared photos of belongings falling off shelves, broken bottles and glass inside homes.

People walk past a damaged house after an earthquake in Zagreb, Croatia, Sunday, March 22, 2020. A strong earthquake shook Croatia and its capital on Sunday, causing widespread damage and panic.(Associated Press)

Officials first said a 15-year-old was killed, but doctors later said that she is in critical condition and that they are fighting for her life. They gave no immediate details on the extent of other injuries.

The earthquake struck amid a partial lockdown of the capital because of the spread of the coronavirus. People were told to avoid public areas, such as parks and public squares, but had little choice as they fled their residences.

Up to five people are allowed to be together while keeping distance.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said earthquake was the biggest in Zagreb in the last 140 years.

A car is crushed by falling debris after an earthquake in Zagreb, Croatia, Sunday, March 22, 2020. A strong earthquake shook Croatia and its capital on Sunday, causing widespread damage and panic. (Associated Press)

He urged the citizens to remain calm and stay outside their homes in the central parts of Zagreb, which sustained the most damage.

“We have two parallel crisis that contradict each other,” Plenkovic said after an emergency meeting of Croatia’s top officials.

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Croatia’s army and all emergency services will start clearing the streets as soon as possible, while assessment will start of the damage at the same time.

Police guard a street after an earthquake in Zagreb, Croatia, Sunday, March 22, 2020. A strong earthquake shook Croatia and its capital on Sunday, causing widespread damage and panic.(Associated Press)

“We will try to clear the streets as soon as possible,” he said. “Stay outside your homes and keep distance.”

Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said the situation was complicated by the restrictive virus-related measures in place.

“There are rules for when there is an earthquake, but when there is an earthquake at the same time when there is a global pandemic, then it’s a much more complex situation.” Bozinovic told the state HINA news agency.

Associated Press writers Dusan Stojanovic and Jovana Gec contributed to this report.

Giant asteroid apocalypse 13K years ago was witnessed by ancient humans, experts believe

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The asteroid that hit Earth nearly 13,000 years ago and ended the Pleistocene era likely wiped out an ancient civilization in what is modern-day Syria, according to newly discovered evidence.

The research, published in Scientific Reports, notes that experts discovered remnants of glass that were created during a high-impact event, as well as minerals such as chromium, iron, nickel and others, all of which formed in temperatures higher than 2,200 degrees Celsius, according to a statement from the University of California-Santa Barbara.

“To help with perspective, such high temperatures would completely melt an automobile in less than a minute,” said one of the study’s co-authors and UC Santa Barbara emeritus professor of geology James Kennett in the statement.

(Credit: University of California Santa Barbara)

EARTH’S OLDEST ASTEROID STRIKE MAY HAVE ENDED ‘SNOWBALL EARTH’ 

The discovery was made at a site known as Abu Hureyra, which was abandoned roughly 5,000 years ago.

Known as the Pleistocene Epoch, the most recent ice age is generally defined as starting 2.6 million years ago and ending approximately 11,700 years ago

The glass is believed to have formed “from the nearly instantaneous melting and vaporization of regional biomass, soils and floodplain deposits, followed by instantaneous cooling,” according to the study. Kennett added that the materials found are “extremely rare” under normal temperatures, but common during impact events.

A “single, major asteroid impact” could not have caused the widely scattered material discovered at Abu Hureyra and that it was more likely a fragmented comet, the researcher said.

“The largest cometary debris clusters are proposed to be capable of causing thousands of airbursts within a span of minutes across one entire hemisphere of Earth,” Kennett explained. “The [Younger Dryas Boundary] hypothesis proposed this mechanism to account for the widely dispersed coeval materials across more than 14,000 kilometers [8,700 miles] of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Our Abu Hureyra discoveries strongly support a major impact event from such a fragmented comet.”

THE DAY THE DINOSAURS DIED: ASTEROID IMPACT SITE REVEALS DEVASTATION FROM POWER OF 10 BILLION A-BOMBS

Previous studies have focused on the Younger Dryas event, a period that saw the extinction of species such as woolly mammoths, bison and giant sloths, causing global consequences.

In October 2019, a study was published that said a brief ice age period occurred roughly 12,800 years ago and was caused by an asteroid impact, after researchers found high levels of iridium and platinum in White Pond near Elgin, S.C.

An enormous crater, first discovered in 2015 but not officially verified until November 2018, left a 19-mile crater in Greenland and may have caused the disappearance of the Clovis people, a mysterious prehistoric group that vanished without a trace, according to The Sun.

According to NASA, the massive hole is “one of the 25 largest impact craters on Earth” and is said to have “rocked the Northern Hemisphere.“

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Tennessee ‘hero’ dog dies after saving family from deadly tornado

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There’s a reason dogs are called man’s best friend.

Pastor Darrin Crockett’s family miraculously survived Tuesday morning’s tornado in Cookeville, Tenn., where dozens died and many were injured.

NASHVILLE STARS TO HOLD BENEFIT CONCERT FOR TORNADO RELIEF

The Southern Baptist pastor recalls praying to God that the family’s dog, Doc, would stop barking — but he now says he’s glad his prayer was not answered.

Darrin Crockett and his daughter Carly sift through what’s left of their house, looking for any items that can be recovered.
(Lonnie Wilkey, Baptist & Reflector)

Because he was awake, Crockett noticed his phone buzzing and saw the storm alert warning. He ushered his wife and three daughters into the laundry room downstairs for refuge in the terrible storm.

TRUMP TOURS TENNESSEE DESTRUCTION AFTER DEADLY TORNADO, HEARS VICTIM STORIES

“We heard it coming and suddenly the house began to shake,” he told the Baptist and Reflector. “Next thing I remember is I felt grass underneath me. The tornado must have picked up the entire house dropped it in the yard with us buried underneath it.”

He said the only thing that saved the family from being crushed was a two-by-four that fell across the washer and dryer.

The Crockett family survived with a few scrapes and bruises but their beloved Doc didn’t make it. “Missing this guy…” the pastor wrote on Facebook Friday morning.

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“He will go down as a hero,” the pastor told the newspaper. “We will celebrate him and talk about him for a long time.”

Nashville stars to hold benefit concert for tornado relief

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Musicians in Nashville, Tenn., are coming together to hold a benefit concert Monday to raise money for people impacted by tornadoes that ripped through the state earlier this week and left several dead.

The concert named “To Nashville, With Love” will be held Monday at Marathon Music Works in Music City. The show will feature artists like Sheryl Crow, Mike “Grimey” Grimes, Yola, Brandi Carlile, Ashley McBryde, Brothers Osborne and more.

Tickets for the show were already sold out Friday but it will also be broadcast on Lightning 100.1 FM.

COUNTRY STARS RALLY AROUND NASHVILLE TORNADO VICTIMS: ‘WE ARE ALL WITH YOU’

Some in Nashville’s music community were touched by the storm that hit early Tuesday. East Nashville music venue The Basement East was hit, as well as the office for Dualtone Records, which works with artists like The Lumineers and Amos Lee.

Country music”s biggest stars who live in Tennessee took to social media to mark themselves safe and share their condolences to those impacted by the natural disaster.

Carrie Underwood, who calls Nashville home, was out of town when the tornadoes touched down but appeared on the “Today” show Tuesday to reveal that her husband and kids were unharmed thanks to a safe room they have in their home.

LORETTA LYNN OFFERS SUPPORT TO NASHVILLE TORNADO VICTIMS WITH DISCOUNTS TO TENNESSEE RANCH: ‘MY HEART BREAKS’

Electrical worker Tyler Morris rolls up damaged power cable Wednesday, March 4 near a store destroyed by a storm in Nashville, Tenn. 
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Dolly Parton, who also lives in Nashville, posted a video message revealing that she’s OK and telling those not as fortunate that she’s with them.

Meanwhile, Loretta Lynn told Fox News she was offering discounted lodging at her famous Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., for those affected.

Dierks Bentley revealed he was safe and showed some scary video of the storm rolling into the city.

COUNTRY STAR JOHN RICH: PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL BE ‘SHOCKED’ HE SEES NASHVILLE TORNADO DAMAGE

A roof from a nearby business lies in the front yard of a home Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Residents and businesses faced a huge cleanup effort after tornadoes hit the state Tuesday, killing 24 people and leaving many others missing. 
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

“We ducked around this cell and landed at john tune airport around 11:30 last night. Glad we landed when we did. Wouldn’t have been good an hour later. It was the cell that turned into the tornado. Lot of people lost their homes. No one comes together as a city like Nashville does,” he wrote.

A powerful storm system produced at least two tornadoes that struck central Tennessee early on Tuesday morning, including one that caused significant damage near downtown Nashville and left several people dead.

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The tornado near downtown Nashville lit up the night sky with flashes of light as transformers blew and the storm reportedly stayed on the ground into Hermitage, about 10 miles east of the city.

Fox News’ Tyler McCarthy and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Trump’s visits to natural disaster sites as president

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President Trump on Friday visited Tennessee after the state was hit by tornadoes earlier this week, leaving dozens dead and many more injured.

It is one of a number of visits he has taken to natural disaster sites as president. Here’s a look at previous visits:

TRUMP VISITING TENNESSEE AFTER DEADLY TORNADOES

Texas

Trump visited Texas in September 2017 after the state was hit by Hurricane Harvey and left dozens dead. He started in Houston, which had been devastated by flooding.

The president, along with first lady Melania Trump and other officials, then traveled to Lake Charles, La., which was also hit by the storm. His visits included NRG Stadium, the home of the Houston Texans, which served as a recovery center for hurricane victims.

Trump authorized a 90 percent federal cost share for debris removal and a 100 percent federal cost share for emergency protective measures.

Before leaving Texas, the president stopped in a Houston neighborhood where debris were piled outside ranch-style homes.

“These are people that have done a fantastic job holding it together,” he said.

Florida

Trump visited Florida the same month after Hurricane Irma hit the state in 2017. He surveyed the damage by helicopter and served lunch to victims recovering from the storm.

First lady Melania Trump, Vice President Pence, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida attorney general Pam Bondi and FEMA administrator Brock Long joined Trump for his tour.

The president and vice president served lunch at Naples Estates, a mobile home park that was hit hard by the hurricane.

Puerto Rico

Trump visited Puerto Rico in October 2017 after it was hit by Hurricane Maria.

Trump viewed the damage from a helicopter, participated in several briefings with officials, met storm victims and toured the USS Kearsarge. He also met with senior military personnel and government officials, including Gov. Rosselló and Kenneth Mapp, the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, which was also severely damaged by the storm.

Maria was the most powerful hurricane to hit the island in nearly a century. It unleashed floods and mudslides that knocked out the island’s entire electrical grid and telecommunications, along with many roads.

South Carolina and North Carolina

Trump traveled to both states after they were hit by Hurricane Florence in September 2018.

Trump participated in a briefing with South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott, and other officials.

He served meals in North Carolina at a Baptist Church and thanked volunteers, while also posing for photographs with volunteers.

He later visited a South Carolina neighborhood and greeted people as he walked along the flooded streets.

He told people things are “going to be OK,” and others thanked him for coming.

Georgia and Florida

Trump visited Georgia and Florida in October 2018 after they were hit by Hurricane Michael. He visited farmers whose crops were wiped out. He spoke to one farmer who lost 100 percent of his cotton crop.

Trump flew to Georgia from Florida, where he surveyed hurricane damage in several Panhandle communities by air, land and foot.

During his helicopter tour of the storm-battered region, Trump saw uprooted trees and houses with blue tarps covering damaged roofs after his helicopter lifted from Eglin Air Force Base near Valparaiso. The severity of the damage worsened significantly as Trump approached Mexico Beach, a town of about 1,000 people that was nearly wiped off the map in a direct hit from the hurricane and its 155 mph winds.

Alabama

Trump visited Alabama in 2019 after it was hit by tornadoes that killed 23 people.

The president touched down near where winds moved as quickly as 170 mph. Trump had signed a major disaster declaration for the county, freeing federal assistance to the region.

The president viewed the damage caused by the storm aboard Marine One. He also met victims in Opelika, Alabama, and received a briefing from the Lee County Emergency Management Agency.

As his motorcade wound through the county, Trump passed through entire neighborhoods that were destroyed, passing by empty lots with broken pieces of metal, wood and what appeared to be scattered clothing.

Fox News’ Alex Pappas, Andrew O’Reilly and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Reese Witherspoon feels ‘heavy-hearted’ over coronavirus, Nashville tornadoes: ‘This week has been a lot’

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Reese Witherspoon is overcome with emotions due to the recent natural disaster in her home state and the widespread panic over the coronavirus, among other things.

The “Big Little Lies” actress took to her Instagram this week to let her millions of fans know just how she was feeling given the current state of chaos around her. She admitted she leaned on a friend as she broke into tears at the thought of so many struggling.

“This morning, a friend said to me, ‘I can see you are overwhelmed. Just take a moment,’ and I started to cry,” Witherspoon wrote underneath a caption of a touching photo of her son dipping his toes into an ocean. “I just felt so heavy-hearted.”

COUNTRY STARS RALLY AROUND NASHVILLE TORNADO VICTIMS: ‘WE ARE ALL WITH YOU’

The somber post continued: “There is so much happening…a devastating storm in my hometown of #Nashville, people suffering from mysterious illness, people arguing over political ideology. So much hate and tension and discord. Honestly, this week has been a lot. And it’s only Wednesday.”

The “Morning Show” star shared her appreciation for a friend allowing her a moment “to just feel sad” and urged her followers to do the same if they are feeling down.

“Take what you need. Remember that pain is inevitable. But friends who hold your hand and kids who laugh at silly jokes and sunsets that light up the sky and chocolate chip cookies are very real too,” she wrote. “We are in this together. Let’s take care of each other. And remind each other of all the GOOD.”

REESE WITHERSPOON, KERRY WASHINGTON DISH ON WHY THEY AREN’T GIVING UP THEIR PRODUCER VOICES ‘ANYTIME SOON’

The remains of homes shattered by storms are scattered near Cookeville, Tenn.
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Tennessee is still suffering from the aftermath of powerful tornadoes that ripped through parts of the state this week. The storm caused significant damage and left at least 24 people dead.

Country stars including Carrie Underwood and Loretta Lynn announced their safety and are now rallying behind other stars to help. On Thursday, Taylor Swift donated $1 million to tornado relief efforts.

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Meanwhile, citizens’ fears over the coronavirus have not dissipated, as the numbers of those infected continue to rise.

President Trump canceled his planned Friday trip to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, with the White House saying that the president does not want to interfere with the agency’s work to fight the novel coronavirus. The trip was supposed to take place the same day as his scheduled visit to Tennessee to tour areas ravaged by the tornadoes.