160-melon-headed whales stranded on Japanese beaches – fears of earthquake

#Hokota #whales #Japan #Tsunami #earthquake As many as 160 melon-headed whales have been stranded on the beaches of Japan near Hokota on the Pacific coast and there are fears of an impending earthquake in the region. This is because a similar phenomenon had been observed during the 2011 Tsunami which devastated Japan.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 13 April 2015.

These whales are in fact a species of dolphin and they have been found to have washed up along a 6-mile (10km) stretch of the Pacific coast of Hokota, located nearly 60 miles (100km) north of Tokyo. Officials are investigating the cause of the stranding.
The fears of an impending earthquake are based on the appearance of 50 melon-headed whales six days before the devastating undersea earthquake in 2011 that resulted in a Tsunami and earthquake and left 19,000 people dead.
In the opinion of experts, the reason could be attributed to some sort of a parasitic infection or the sandy shoals around Hokato city may have also made the animal's sonar ineffective. Another theory suggests that these whales that measure two to three meters in length, could have been trying to avoid predators like killer whales and ventured too close to the shore.

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


Pattern of death changing in India – heart and lung related diseases are top killers

Stray dogs attend funeral of Mexican woman who fed them

Nationwide ban on cow slaughter on the cards says Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh

Health tips – lose weight without dieting

Auckland girl sweet talks thief to return stolen mobile phone

Anchovies can boost good cholesterol and reduce risk factors of the heart