A golden retriever ignored the calls of its owners and continued to swim with a gray whale off Whidbey Island, on Tuesday, July 26.John Derlega shared this video of his mother-in-law’s six-year-old dog, Tippy, powering through the waters to frolic with the gray whale on Instagram, adding the caption: ’Whale’s Best Friend’.“You can hear everyone on the beach shouting for Tippy to return to shore, but Tippy seems to be enjoying herself with the whale,” Derlega told Storyful.Derlega said that Tippy swims around the bay most days, usually playing with seals and attempting to catch fish.“I think this gentle encounter is objectively a rare and interesting interspecies moment.”“I’m sure she’ll happily swim with the whale again!” Credit: John Derlega via Storyful
A heavy rain warning remained in place for parts of Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday, August 9, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) after intense storms caused flash flooding the previous day.This footage, filmed by Instagram user @rhemtj89 shows vehicles traversing inundated streets in the Gangnam district of Seoul on the evening of Monday, August 8.More than five inches (129 mm) of rain fell in Seoul on Monday with between 100 and 200 mm (3-7 inches) expected to fall on Tuesday. Credit: @rhemtj89 via Storyful
Doorbell footage from Friday, August 5, captured Anne Heche’s vehicle speeding down a Los Angeles street moments before it crashed into a house and burst into flames.Heche was taken to hospital where she remained in critical condition as of Monday despite comments suggesting she was in a stable condition, a spokesperson for the actress told CNN.“Over the weekend a representative stated that Anne was in stable condition but that information was inaccurate. She has always remained in critical condition, slipping into a coma following the accident,” the spokesman said, as cited by CNN. “She has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention. She is currently being treated at the Grossman Burn Center.” Credit: David Manpearl via Storyful
Strong wind and rain hit parts of Little Rock, Arkansas, on Monday, August 8, as the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the area.Footage by Lane Hancock shows wind and rain batter western parts of the city on Monday afternoon. Credit: Lane Hancock via Storyful
The Moose fire burning near Salmon, Idaho, has grown to 68,771 acres (107 square miles) and is 16 percent contained, according to official reports.A post on the Salmon-Challis National Forest Twitter page said firefighters took advantage of the moderate weather conditions on Sunday, August 7, to access different parts of the forest and strengthen containment lines.This footage uploaded to Facebook by firefighter Luke Hill shows flames and smoke from the fire rising into the air and planes flying over the area.More than 1,300 personnel and 66 engines have been deployed to battle the fire, according to official reports. Credit: Luke Hill via Storyful
The Six Rivers Lightning Complex fires were at zero percent containment and had burned almost 7,000 acres (11 square miles) by Monday, August 8, in the Willow Creek area of Northern California according to the US Forest Service.A series of 12 lightning-caused fires were identified on Friday in Six Rivers National Forest after thunderstorms in the area according to official reports.The fires caused evacuations in Humboldt County.Video filmed by Alekz Londos, who said the footage was taken in Willow Creek on Sunday, shows firefighters on the front lines working to contain the complex of fires. Credit: Alekz Londos via Storyful
A visitor to South Carolina spotted a waterspout from his hotel balcony in South Carolina on Sunday, August 7.Footage filmed by Ryan Holland shows the waterspout spinning over the sea in Mount Pleasant, while other social media users posted similar views of the phenomenon.On Monday, the National Weather Service forecasted showers and thunderstorms to develop in the area throughout the day.In the video, Holland says, “Check that out!” Credit: Ryan Holland via Storyful
Loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings emerged from their nest in Folly Beach, South Carolina, on Sunday, August 7, according to Folly Beach Turtle Watch.The loggerhead turtle is considered endangered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.The city of Folly Beach said that the sea turtle nesting season is from May 1 to October 31. The city urged visitors “lights out on the beach!” as the turtles can be disoriented by artificial light.Video posted by Folly Beach Turtle Watch, who said they took the footage on Folly Beach on Sunday morning, shows turtle hatchlings heading toward the ocean. The organization said the nest hatched after 50 days of incubation. Credit: Folly Beach Turtle Watch via Storyful
A woman was recorded calling the police to report a black man standing outside his Seattle home on August 3, in a video going viral on Reddit and other platforms.Footage taken by Dayson Barnes shows a woman, who is not identified, talking on the phone with police after questioning whether Barnes and his partner are residents of the home.“If you guys have a lease, I’d just like to see the lease,” the woman told Barnes and his partner in the video, who are currently renting the property.In a statement shared with Storyful, the King County Sheriff’s Office said they were called to the scene to respond to reports of a ‘potential residential burglary’.Upon arrival, police established it was a ‘misunderstanding’ and cleared the scene after five minutes. No official report was taken and deputies confirmed the individuals in question were new renters.The video was originally posted to Reddit on August 4 by Barnes’ partner and has been circulating on social media since. Credit: Dayson Barnes via Storyful
Heavy rainfall triggered flash flooding in parts of Denver, Colorado, on Sunday, August 7, prompting multiple rescues in the area.According to local media, at least 29 people were rescued as the National Weather Service warned drivers to avoid flooded streets in the area.This footage was captured by Twitter user @NiaBender, who said it was taken in the Globeville neighborhood of Denver on Sunday.On Monday, they posted photos of damage from the area and described it as “severe.” Credit: @NiaBender via Storyful
The daughter of a late police lieutenant in the Nashville area received a police escort to her first day of kindergarten, according to a post on the La Vergne Police Department’s Facebook page.The post said officers surrounded Anna Stolinsky as she made her way to the front doors in honor of her late father, Police Lieutenant Kevin Jay Stolinsky of the La Vergne Police Department in Tennessee.This footage shows officers lined up outside of the school as Anna runs through them, high-fiving and hugging members along the way before she is escorted into the school by an officer.Kevin Stolinsky, who died on duty due to a medical emergency in November 2021, was also a veteran of the US Navy, according to local news reports.Local news reported that Anna was presented with an American flag in honor of her father’s 20 years of service during his funeral last year. Credit: La Vergne Police Department via Storyful
Heavy rainfall triggered flash flooding in Denver, Colorado, on Sunday, August 7, prompting multiple rescues in the area, local authorities said.According to local reports, at least 19 people were rescued as the National Weather Service warned drivers to avoid flooded streets in the area.Local media also reported heavy traffic delays due to the flooding.This footage, posted to Facebook by Jay G Savss, shows scenes in the East Colfax neighborhood of Denver on Sunday afternoon. Credit: Jay G Savss via Storyful
The Cedar Creek Fire burning near Oakridge, in western Oregon, reached 3,234 acres (about 5 square miles) and was zero percent contained as of Monday, August 8, according to official reports.A post on the Cedar Creek Fire’s official Facebook page said heavy equipment will begin arriving today and that crews will continue to work on containing the fire.There are currently no evacuation orders in place, according to the post.This footage uploaded to Twitter by user The Phototrope shows smoke from the Cedar Creek Fire “creating an ominous sunset over Mount David Douglas, Verdun Rock, and Bunchgrass Ridge.”According to the National Interagency Fire Center there are six active fires in Oregon comprising about 15,988 acres. Credit: The Phototrope via Storyful
A baby tree kangaroo living in a zoo in Victoria, Australia, began exploring the world outside her mother’s pouch, adorable footage from the Healesville Sanctuary in Badger Creek showed.The zoo’s newest Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo – an endangered marsupial native to Indonesia – is named Ori, and was born to mother Mani and father Bagam.In a press release sent to Storyful, Healesville Sanctuary Mammal Keeper Katherine Sarris said the Tree Kangaroo exhibit had been renovated to prepare for the baby tree kangaroo.“Tree kangaroo joeys are really clumsy as they discover the world, that’s why we have also incorporated more mulch and pea gravel to her home, just in case she takes a tumble,” Sarris said. “And we have installed new perches with thick bark so it’s easier for Ori to learn how to climb.”According to the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo is classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List due to an ongoing population decline. It is one of two priority Papua New Guinea tree kangaroo species for which international cooperative breeding programs exist.This footage released to Storyful shows the baby tree kangaroo bouncing around as she explores life outside her mother’s pouch. Credit: Healesville Sanctuary via Storyful
Lightning created a stunning display over Wallace, Florida, on Sunday, August 7, new footage shows.Video captured by self-described weather enthusiast Treyce Jones shows streaks of lightning spider across the sky in a spellbinding effect.Jones described the event as an “incredible” bolt from a lone storm cell over the town of Wallace. Credit: Treyce Jones via Storyful
Move over Pizza Rat – a much cuter, feathered pizza lover was spotted wolfing down a couple of slices of pepperoni at an Arizona park.Scottsdale resident Tom Lancione said he was out walking on August 7 when he spotted a white duck munching on some leftover pizza.Lancione told Storyful that he had stopped under a gazebo for some shade, where there was an abandoned pizza box on one of the tables.“Under the table I saw a resourceful white duck taking advantage of a free meal! Making great use of the leftovers that a parkgoer had carelessly left behind,” he said.While it appears that the hungry bird is enjoying the cheesy pie, it is not advised to feed processed food to ducks, as it provides “lots of energy, but with very little nutrition.” Credit: Tom Lancione via Storyful
Footage taken on Monday, August 8, in Gaza City showed civilian infrastructure reduced to rubble after three days of cross-border fighting between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad.On Sunday night, an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire took effect in Gaza. Prime Minister of Israel Yair Lapid said Israel would “respond strongly” if the ceasefire was violated.In a statement, US President Joe Biden welcomed the truce and called on all parties “to fully implement [it] and to ensure fuel and humanitarian supplies are flowing into Gaza” and urged reports of civilian casualties to be investigated in a timely manner.Video filmed on Monday by Mohammed Asad shows scenes in Gaza City in the aftermath of the airstrikes. Credit: Mohammed Asad via Storyful
Thunderstorms rolled through Denver, Colorado, on Sunday, August 7, causing flooding across the city and forcing the city to shut down a major highway in the area, according to the Denver Office of Emergency Management.Local news reports said the Denver Fire Department reported rescuing 11 people from Interstate 70, but no injuries were reported.This footage captured by Twitter user @okiedodger shows clouds building up over Denver before a sheet of rain descends upon the city.Other social media users also posted images of the storm’s impact, as the National Weather Service (NWS) warned of heavy rainfall and flash flooding in the area.The NWS said there was potential for storms in the region on Monday, with the main risks being “light to moderate rainfall and gusty winds.” Credit: @okiedodger via Storyful
Flash flooding across parts of central and northern Colorado resulted in drivers being stranded on roadways on Sunday, August 7, according to Denver officials.Footage posted to Twitter by user Joel Hansen captured lightning, thunder, and heavy rain hitting Thornton, a northern Denver suburb.The National Weather Service (NWS) warned of “torrential rain” leading to street flooding in several counties and cautioned against driving through deep standing or running water. The NWS also said wind gusts could reach up to 40 mph with half-inch hail.The Denver Fire Department reported multiple rescues, according to local news reports. No injuries or deaths were reported.According to local media, flooding on Interstate 70 stranded Denver area drivers “for hours.” Credit: Joel Hansen via Storyful
A Komodo dragon was given special treats to celebrate its 11th birthday at the Perth Zoo in Western Australia, footage published on August 7 shows.Raja is a male Komodo dragon, the largest species of lizard, and weighs 50 kg (110 pounds), according to the zoo’s website.“He entered his habitat to find special birthday boxes filled with new scents to encourage him to use his excellent sense of smell,” the zoo said.“They are quite intelligent and very eager to explore anything new in the environment,” the zoo added.This clip shows Raja “opening” his gifts, which included quail eggs, his favorite snack, according to the zoo.“Go Raja, it’s your birthday!” the zoo also said on Facebook. Credit: Perth Zoo via Storyful
The Cuban President’s Office said a second explosion occurred at an oil depot in Matanzas, Cuba, in the early hours of Monday, August 8, days after a tanker at the facility caught fire due to a lightning strike.Footage recorded by Miriel Santana shows the large flames rising from the depot. Further footage shows a timelapse of the growing flames from the site of the explosion.The Cuban President’s Office said the explosion was larger than the initial fire on August 6. The fire from the second explosion had removed all fuel from a second tanker, they said.Three people were receiving treatment for minor injuries, the President’s Office said. Credit: Miriel Santana via Storyful
A gray whale put on quite a show for onlookers just off Whidbey Island in Washington, spraying a “rainbow” from its blowhole, footage posted on August 3 shows.Footage filmed by Shannon Boss shows the light hitting just right to give the whale’s spray a beautiful multi-color appearance.Boss told Storyful that the whale in the video is CRC 2440, and is “a new visitor to the Puget Sound”.“He was first spotted off Vancouver Island in January 2022 looking emaciated,” Boss said. “He has since been eating all around the northern Puget Sound and looking much healthier.” Credit: Shannon Boss via Storyful
Rockets were launched from Gaza on Saturday, August 6, after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out strikes in the Palestinian enclave for a second day.Footage taken by Mohammed Asad shows rockets being launched from Gaza City in the day and night of August 6 .Israeli officials said air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv on Saturday night and in southern Israel in the early hours of Sunday.Haaretz reported sirens in Ashkelon and Ashdod, as well as areas along the Gaza border.A truce between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad took effect at 11:30 p.m. (2030 GMT) in the Gaza Strip on August 7, after three days of cross-border fighting. Credit: Mohammed Asad via Storyful
Rockets were seen over Gaza City shortly before a ceasefire took hold late in the evening on August 7.Video filmed by Mohammed Asad shows rockets flying over Gaza City.The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported at least 44 people had been killed, including 15 children, and more than 360 people were injured in the recent conflict.The Israel Defense Force (IDF) said it continued attacks on Gaza on Sunday, August 7, as a part of “Operation Breaking Dawn”. The IDF cited “direct threats posed by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza” as the catalyst for the attacks.A ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad took effect at 11:30 p.m. (2030 GMT) on August 7 in the Gaza Strip after three days of cross-border fighting.In a statement, US President Joe Biden praised the truce and called on all parties “to fully implement [it] and to ensure fuel and humanitarian supplies are flowing into Gaza”. He also urged reports of civilian casualties to be investigated in a timely manner.No further violence was reported as the night wore on. Credit: Mohammed Asad via Storyful
The Cuban President’s Office said a second explosion occurred at an oil depot in Matanzas, Cuba, in the early hours of Monday, August 8, days after a tanker at the facility caught fire due to a lightning strike.Footage posted by a local radio station in Matanzas showed huge flames rising from the depot.The Cuban President’s Office said the explosion was larger than the initial fire on August 6. The fire from the second explosion had removed all fuel from a second tanker, they said.Three people were receiving treatment for minor injuries, the President’s Office said. Credit: Radio26 Emisora Matanzas Cuba via Storyful