THOUSANDS OF SARDINES WASH UP ON BEACH
Thousands of tonnes of dead sardines have washed up on a beach in northern Japan for unknown reasons, officials say.
The sardines and some mackerel washed ashore in Hakodate on Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido on Thursday morning, creating a silver blanket along a stretch of beach about a kilometre long.
Local residents said they have never seen anything like it.
Some gathered the fish to sell or eat.
The town, in a notice posted on its website, urged residents not to consume the fish.
Takashi Fujioka, a Hakodate Fisheries Research Institute researcher, said he has heard of similar phenomena before but it was his first time to see it.
He said the fish may have been chased by larger fish, become exhausted due to a lack of oxygen while moving in a densely packed school and were washed up by the waves.
The fish also may have suddenly entered cold waters during their migration, he said.
The decomposing fish could lower oxygen levels in the water and affect the marine environment, he said.
“We don’t know for sure under what circumstances these fish were washed up, so I do not recommend eating them,” Fujioka said.
$70 MILLION ON OFFER IN OZ LOTTO
For Aussies who have a lottery win at the top of their Christmas wish list, next Tuesday’s $70 million Oz Lotto draw is set to provide a golden opportunity to turn that dream into a festive reality.
During the past eight Oz Lotto draws, no entry has held the seven winning numbers in a single game panel needed to score division one, pushing the jackpot to $70 million for next week’s draw.
While no entries scored the division one prize in tonight’s draw, a total of 733,002 prizes worth more than $17.5 million were won in divisions two to seven. This includes seven winners who each scored a $91,891.95 division two prize.
Up to one in five Australian adults are expected to have an entry in their hands before the draw’s close at 7.30pm on Tuesday, December 19.
The last time Oz Lotto offered a $70 million draw was in June 2019.
“Up to one in five Australian adults are expected to have an entry into the $70 million Oz Lotto draw, with hopes their ticket takes out a division one prize before Christmas Day arrives,” The Lott spokesperson Anna Hobdell said.
“If someone takes home a slice of the division one prize on Tuesday night, they’ll expect to receive their multi-million-dollar prize in their bank account on January 3, 2024 – setting them up for a bright new year ahead.”
AIDAN’S RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE
Riverine Herald photographer Aidan Briggs is more than capable behind the lens, but it turns out he is quite adept at handling spice, too.
Taking on the ‘30 hot wings in 30 minutes’ challenge at The American Hotel on Wednesday night, Aidan devoured the ‘death sauce’-laden wings in 14 minutes, which staff working believed to be a new record.
The kicker – it wasn’t until after he had punished himself with the spicy task that he was told they had run out of winners T-shirts.
CYCLONE JASPER CROSSES QUEENSLAND COAST
People have been rescued from rising floodwaters as Tropical Cyclone Jasper weakens to a tropical low after hitting the Queensland coast.
The season’s first cyclone made landfall as a category 2 system near Wujal Wujal, north of Cairns, on Wednesday night, bringing destructive winds of about 100km/h and heavy rainfall.
The system was downgraded to a tropical low overnight. However, intense showers, thunderstorms and damaging wind gusts are set to continue in the north as it moves inland on Thursday.
People were forced to flee their homes as trees were uprooted and power lines damaged with up to 300mm of rain causing flooding.
More than 43,000 houses and businesses are without power, Ergon Energy said.
People at Mossman had to be rescued from their homes early on Thursday, more than 100km from where the system came ashore.
“We had eight people who had to be evacuated, then we did have to do some door knocking to advise people of rising floodwaters,” a far northern Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokesperson said.
“Some chose to leave their homes and seek shelter at the Mossman library, others chose to stay at home.”
The spokesperson said heavy rain was expected for the rest of the day with flooding the main concern.
Areas surrounding Wujal Wujal felt Jasper’s full force with residents warned to stay indoors even after it was downgraded.
Those living between Cape Flattery and the Macalister Range including the Hope Vale, Wujal Wujal, Douglas and Mareeba shires as well as inland to Palmerville received a watch and act alert early on Thursday.
Flooding was also a concern in Cairns, but there was no further risk of a storm surge.
Local authorities issued a final cyclone alert at 6.20am, warning people to be careful of damage, debris and fallen powerlines.
“A severe weather warning, which includes locally intense and heavy rainfall is current for the Barron River catchment,” it said.
Cairns residents are expected to conserve drinking water for the rest of the week as authorities work to remove debris from a treatment plant.
There is a chance the storm could intensify again in the Gulf of Carpentaria on the weekend or off the Top End coast early next week.
CASSOWARY DUO TURN HEADS
Cheeky cassowary duo Adelaide and Gorge are using their Pterodactyl-like beaks to delicately pluck fruits spiked onto trees at Kyabram Fauna Park.
Cherry tomatoes are hidden in trees throughout their habitat for the brother and sister to find – stimulating their natural foraging behaviours.
Kyabram Fauna Park keeper Jessica Lyne said scatter feeds keep mealtimes mentally stimulating for Australia’s heaviest bird species.
“In the wild, southern cassowaries would feed by plucking fruit from high trees and bushes,” Ms Lyne said.
“This feeding method allows them to problem solve, rather than eat fruit off the ground.”
Adelaide and Gorge weigh 59kg and 40kg respectively. The pair eat approximately five kilograms of fruit each, every day.
FAST FIVE QUIZ
1. In which Australian state would you locate the town of Crescent Head?
2. What is the main ingredient of Vegemite?
3. Aer Lingus is the national airline of which country?
4. True or false — the tallest mountain in Papua New Guinea is Mount Wilhelm?
5. Which legendary Australian singer is recovering in hospital following open heart surgery in the past week?
FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS
Don Johnson, actor, 74, Frankie Dettori, jockey, 53, Greg Matthews, cricketer, 64, Tim Webster, TV presenter, 72, Stephen Coniglio, footballer, 30, Kate Lundy, politician, 56, George Donikian, TV presenter, 72, Peter Cook, jockey, 73.
BET OF THE WEEKEND
Sadly a passive ride ensured Ammo Amor never looked a winning chance at Morphettville last week. We’ll try and get back on the horse in Queensland at Saturday’s Eagle Farm meeting. Cifrado disappointed last start, but he’s been gelded and finds himself well-placed under the set weight conditions of this Listed contest (Race 8, No.1).
JOKE OF THE WEEK
Where do you learn to make a banana split?
Sundae school.
FINALLY
Congratulations to all the Year 12 students across both sides of the river who received their VCE/HSC results during the past week. The region should be proud of having so many high achievers, who I’m sure will go onto do great things.
FAST FIVE QUIZ ANSWERS
1. New South Wales, 2. Yeast extract, 3. Ireland, 4. True, 5. Jimmy Barnes,