Massive tailings pond spill north of Quesnel Lake said to be toxic; water ban in effect for hundreds

Massive tailings pond spill north of Quesnel Lake said to be toxic; water ban in effect for hundreds





A complete water ban has been issued for the Interior community of
Likely after a mining accident spilled waste materials into a nearby
lake Monday morning.

The Cariboo Regional District enacted the ban following a breach in the earth-filled dam surrounding Mount Polley Mine’s tailings pond.

Debris
and effluent flowed into Quesnel Lake from the tailings pond, where
waste from the mine’s chemical and mechanical operations was being
stored.

All residents living around the open-pit copper and gold
mine eight kilometres southwest of Likely are being urged to use only
bottled water until further notice.

Authorities had previously
said Likely was not directly affected, because it was unclear how many
people in the town used water from Quesnel Lake.

But
since then, the Cariboo Regional District has decided to start
delivering water to Likely because the main supplier of bottled water in
the area, a small grocery store, could not keep up with the demand.

The
ban now affects people living in Quesnel Lake, Polley Lake, Hazeltine
Creek and Cariboo Creek, as well as the anyone who draws water from the
Quesnel and Cariboo river systems. People on the Quesnel and Williams
Lake city water systems are not affected.

Robin Hood, president of the Likely Chamber of Commerce, called it “big disaster” for his community of 300 people.

Hood
said that while the lake’s level hadn’t risen and the debris hadn’t
moved, there was concern the debris might wash out a nearby bridge.

“We’re
a resource-extraction, tourism-oriented little community — plugging
along really good,” Hood said. “I hope that this breach doesn’t wipe out
the tourist side or the extraction side.”

Residents and visitors are advised not to swim or bathe in the waterways nearby.

Hood said the spill also threatens the area’s salmon-spawning grounds.

The
RCMP, Ministry of Environment, Cariboo Search and Rescue and other
agencies were working to determine the extent and impacts of the breach.

Helicopters were dispatched to survey the damage.

Mount Polley Mine was opened in 1997 and is operated by Imperial Metals Corporation.

The regional district emergency operations centre is providing updates about the breach on its Facebook page at facebook.com/CRDEmergencyOperations.

A public information line has been set up at 1-250-398-5581.

Latest Solar Flare Activity: Solar flare storm activity Forecast june 13 2014

Latest Solar Flare Activity: Solar flare storm activity Forecast june 13 2014

Slight growth was observed in the intermediate spots of Regions 2080
(S11W64, Dki/beta-gamma-delta), 2087, and 2085.  Slight decay was
observed in the trailing spots of Region 2085.  Region 2089 appeared to
be in a slow growth phase.  The rest of the spotted regions were either
stable or in decay.   Multiple coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were
observed off both east and west limbs throughout the period, however
none appeared to have an Earth-directed component.  SOHO/LASCO C2
imagery was only available until 12/1548 UTC.  Further analysis of
later CMEs will be performed as imagery becomes available.

.Forecast...
Solar activity is likely to be at moderate levels (R1-R2,
Minor-Moderate) with a chance for further X-class flaring (R3-Strong or
greater) for the forecast period (13-15 Jun) due to flare potential from
Regions 2080, 2085, 2087, and 2089.

Energetic Particle

.24 hr Summary...
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at
normal to moderate levels and the greater than 10 MeV proton flux at
geosynchronous orbit was at background levels.

.Forecast...
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected
to be at normal to moderate levels for the forecast period (13-15 Jun). 
There is a chance for a greater than 10 MeV proton event (S1-Minor or
greater) for the forecast period as Regions 2080 and 2085 remain in a
well connected location.

more at  Latest Solar Flare Activity: Solar flare storm activity Forecast june 13 2014

Doctor brought MERS into Canada

Doctor may have brought MERS into Canada



Canada has yet to confirm its first case of MERS. Officials have not

issued any warnings, but Foreign Affairs does advise travellers who come

down with flu-like symptoms within two weeks of returning to Canada

from the Middle East to seek immediate medical attention.




The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has posted

advisories at more than 20 American airports to alert travelers about

the virus.




The MERS virus is in the same family as SARS and likely originated in

camels. It’s not yet known how the disease is spread, but it’s proven

fatal in about one-third of cases.








A doctor may have brought Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) to

Canada after it’s believed he was exposed to the virus from a patient in

Florida, according to reports citing U.S. health officials.




According to reports, the doctor is apparently not showing symptoms

of MERS, and health officials have not revealed where the physician is

right now.




The doctor is one of about 100 people who may have come into contact with a patient in Orlando who has a confirmed case of MERS.





Hospital officials said he travelled to Canada before he knew he

might be at risk. They said he’s taking the proper precautions and will

undergo testing.




“It all happened before the proper isolation precautions were

initiated,” a health official at the Dr. P. Phillips Hospital in Orlando

said on Tuesday.




Two health workers in Orlando were taken to the emergency room with

flu-like symptoms after having been in contact with a patient confirmed

to have MERS.




This is the first known possible exposure in Canada, but Sunnybrook

Health Sciences Centre microbiologist Dr. Mary Vearncombe told the CBC

she believes MERS is heading to Canada.

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