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- Thousands of residents have evacuated the island of Santorini following a series of earthquakes that rattled the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea on Tuesday morning.
- About Santorini Island:
- Santorini, also known as Thera, is a volcanic island located in the southern Aegean Sea, in southeastern Greece.
- It is the southernmost island in the Cyclades group, positioned roughly 128 nautical miles southeast of mainland Greece and about 63 nautical miles north of Crete, the largest island in Greece.
- Santorini is the remnant of a massive volcanic eruption and serves as the central hub of the active South Aegean Volcanic Arc.
- The island's volcano is among the few active volcanoes in Greece and Europe.
- Santorini is famous for its volcanic caldera, which is filled with seawater and bordered by towering, colorful cliffs. The island is also renowned for its iconic whitewashed houses scattered across the cliffs, its stunning blue waters, breathtaking views, spectacular sunsets, and the ancient ruins of Thira.
- Reports suggest that the Russian Federation is on the brink of ramping up the production of Iskander-M tactical ballistic missiles in significant numbers.
- About Iskander-M:
- The Iskander (NATO designation: SS-26 Stone) is a road-mobile, short-range ballistic missile system developed by Russia.
- It entered service with the Russian military in 2006 and was first used in combat by Russia during the 2008 conflict with Georgia.
- Designed for tactical strikes on small, high-value land targets, the system is versatile, capable of utilizing various types of missiles.
- Specifications:
- Length: 7.3 meters
- Diameter: 0.92 meters
- Launch weight: 3,750 kilograms
- Maximum range: 500 km
- Payload capacity: 480 to 700 kg
- It can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads.
- Missiles reach speeds of up to Mach 7 (seven times the speed of sound) and can ascend to altitudes exceeding 30 miles.
- Features a maneuverable reentry vehicle (MaRV) and decoys to counter theater missile defense systems.
- Equipped with advanced systems for in-flight correction and self-targeting, enhancing its ability to bypass missile defense mechanisms.
- Variants:
- Iskander-E: Export version with a range of 280 km.
- Iskander-K: A newer version introduced in 2007, featuring the R-500 cruise missile, with a maximum range of 280 km.
- Ranikhet disease, believed to be highly virulent, is suspected to have caused the deaths of nearly 1.5 lakh chickens across Eluru, Guntur, Prakasam, and the twin Godavari districts in Andhra Pradesh recently.
- About Ranikhet Disease:
- Ranikhet disease is a highly contagious viral illness that primarily affects birds, particularly poultry species like chickens, turkeys, and ducks.
- It is caused by the virulent avian avulavirus 1, also known as Newcastle disease virus (NDV) or avian paramyxovirus-1 (APMV-1).
- The disease targets the respiratory, nervous, and digestive systems of birds, leading to significant production declines and fertility issues.
- The morbidity rate is generally high, and mortality can range from 50 to 100 percent.
- Though it is considered a minor zoonosis (an animal disease that can be transmitted to humans), it may cause conjunctivitis in humans, though the condition is usually mild and self-limiting.
- Transmission:
- Direct contact with secretions, especially feces, from infected birds.
- Contaminated feed, water, equipment, premises, and even human clothing can spread the virus.
- ND viruses can persist in the environment for several weeks, particularly in cooler conditions.
- Symptoms:
- Symptoms vary with the age of the affected birds.
- In younger birds, initial signs include sneezing, gasping, and often lethargy. At this stage, the disease can resemble infectious bronchitis.
- Soon after respiratory symptoms emerge, mortality in a flock can increase rapidly, with many deaths occurring daily.
- Treatment: Currently, there is no effective treatment for Ranikhet disease.
- The best approach involves providing proper housing and general care to reduce the severity and duration of the infection.