Monday 3 June 2024

The world's worst mass whale stranding that started with a rock concert

Before discussing the events below I would like to recall 2013.

2013, February 15. Russia, Chelyabinsk. Super Bolide. Blast force of 440,000,000 kg/TNT.

2013, April 21 in South America, Argentina. Fireball. The Rock Concert Meteor. It was captured on video at a Los Tekis rock concert. 2,500,000 kg/TNT.

2014

2014, February 18. South America: Argentina. Airburst over land. I've placed this in to show what 92,000 kg/TNT can do over a populated area, and also it was in the region. It is important to note here that this was regarded as a low-energy event, however, it was powerful enough to shake buildings 80km away.

2014 – The South Pacific, west of Chile.

2014, March 3. South Pacific Ocean. Airburst. 290,000 kg/TNT.

2014, May 16. South Pacific Ocean. Airburst. 400,000 kg/TNT.

2014, July 29. South Pacific Ocean. Airburst. 170,000 kg/TNT.

2014, November 27. South Pacific Ocean. Airburst. 180,000 kg/TNT.

2014, December. Whales started to wash ashore on the west coast of Chile.

2015

2015, March 8. South Pacific Ocean. Airburst.  73,000 kg/TNT.

2015, May 11. Chile, South of Puerto Montt and Osorno in the South Pacific Ocean. Large Fireball. Caught on camera, but not picked up by NASA, it was witnessed over 1500km away.

2015, June. Chile Scientists alerted to the situation. Between the Gulf of Penas and Puerto Natales the largest whale stranding in recorded history occurred. Aerial and satellite photography located 337 Sei Whales, with 32 in a skeleton state. Even though 337 whales were found, there is a report of more than 3000 over 6 months, 2014 – 2015, found in pockets of 100's. For every whale washed ashore it is estimated 20 die and sink at sea. Given that 337 whales washed up and the number corresponding to 6740 individuals lost 3000 is probably underestimated. The coast of southern Chile had become a grave for whales. The cause of the disaster was classed as unknown, with human intervention being ruled out. The sei whale is a baleen whale, the third-largest rorqual after the blue and fin whales.

After March 8 2015, there wasn't an airburst recorded by NASA in the region until November 2016, 20 months later. In the 7 years before 2014 there were only 5 airbursts. 

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