Information Station 5
International:
By: Zak Baker:
Two Chinese fishermen drowned on the weekend of February 14th near the coast of Taiwan. The deaths occurred while the Taiwanese Coast Guard chased the fishermen away from their self-declared territorial waters off the shore of the Kinmen Islands. Apparently, in their attempt to evade arrest, the men fell off their boat and succumbed to the waves.
Unlike the main Island of Taiwan, which lies nearly 100 miles from the mainland, the Kinmen Islands are within eyesight of the Chinese (PRC) shore. During the Cold War, these islands were shelled relentlessly by the Peoples Liberation Army from 1958 until 1979 and were manned by a garrison of 100,000 soldiers from the ROC (Republic of China) Armed Forces. However, in 2001, as a sign of thawing relations, the PRC and the ROC created a direct ferry service between Kinmen and the nearby Chinese province of Xiamen. As recently as 2010, the Taiwanese and Chinese coast guards even conducted cross-straight drills to practice coordinating search and rescue operations.
The PRC released a statement expressing its “strong condemnation of the Taiwanese side for such a vicious incident.” The Chinese Coast Guard committed to conducting more patrols in the Taiwan straights, increasing the tonnage of warships in an already crowded and controversial sea lane. These recent events only contribute to a delicate diplomatic balancing act between Tapei, Beijing, and Washington. At risk? Only the future of humanity.
Local: Atmospheric River hits Stockton
By: Megan Silva
Two inches of rain and wind gusts up to 43 miles per hour pummeled Stockton, California earlier this month. What Stockton (and much of California) has been experiencing throughout the month is called an atmospheric river. An atmospheric river is described by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as “a relatively long, narrow region in the atmosphere – like a river in the sky – that transports most of the water vapor outside of the tropics.” The most recent one to pass over Stockton was called a “Pineapple Express”, because it brought water from the tropics near Hawaii to the West Coast.
Walking around Pacific, you can see a lot of shingles and branches on the ground. Several students have reported their classes being canceled due to the weather. A bit further away, there have been some road closures and minor flooding. Thousands of Northern California residents lost power. This atmospheric river was comparable to the storms in early 2023 that brought heavy rainfall and wind to Stockton.
To stay informed about weather conditions and emergency closures in San Joaquin County, download Ask Stockton. Ask Stockton is a free app that provides important information to Stockton residents, including distribution sites for free sandbags (take advantage of this opportunity now, hardware stores can price gouge when these are in high demand). You can also submit work orders for potholes, and report street flooding.
The National Weather Service has issued several flood watches throughout the month of February. Avoid driving through flooded streets, you do not know the condition of the road under the water. Be aware of downed trees, and try to avoid parking near trees. For more information about what to do in a weather emergency, visit sjready.org.
Local Sources:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration