Clouds Blast in Uttarakhand ( India )

A view of the washed off buildings area near Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand on Tuesday following incessant rains and floods.

Flooding in Europe, The Danube River Reached its Highest Level in 500 Years

The Danube River reached its highest level in 500 years. The Elbe, Rhine, and other rivers and tributaries are cresting high as well as swathes of central Europe lie inundated by floodwaters that have killed 12 and displaced tens of thousands. Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic have been severely affected, as Hungary prepares for the swell of water. Gathered here are images of the flooding and people affected in the last several days. -- Lane Turner

Beautiful Mountains And Rice Fields of Tam Coc Valley (Vietnam)

Tam Coc Valley - one of the most exciting attractions in Vietnam. In the valley of rice fields on the picturesque River flows Ngo Dong, the bed of which are painted in different colors depending on the season. This is a popular tourist destination near the city of Ninh Binh in northern Vietnam. The Tam Coc (“three caves”) portion is a three-hour excursion by small boat along the Ngo Dong river, beginning at the village of Van Lam and proceeding through a scenic landscape dominated by rice fields and karst towers. The route includes floating through three natural caves  the largest of which is 125m long with its ceiling about 2m high above the water. The boats are typically rowed by one or two local women who also sell embroidered goods.

Tam Coc is located about 90 km from the city of Ninh Binh, and is considered one of the most spectacular sights in Vietnam.

The Meandering Alatna River in Alaska

The Alatna River is one of the six federally designated wild and scenic river partially contained within the boundaries of Gates of the Arctic National Park, Alaska. It is called one of the most beautiful rivers in the United States. The Alatna River stems from the central Brooks Range flowing through the Endicott Mountains, passing Circle Lake, the Arrigetch Peaks and Takahula Lake before entering the Helpmejack Hills. The last section of the river continues to flow in a SSE direction through the Alatna Hills into its confluence with the Koyukuk River near the small village of Allakaket. The first 40 km of the Alatna are shallow and rocky, followed by 24 km of a continued shallow area with more rapids. The river then mellows out near Takahula and Circle Lake becoming deeper and more meandering while the scenery turns from mountain peaks into hilly boreal forest. According to The Alaska River Guide, this river is 296 km long from the headwaters to Allakaket and 220 km from Circle Lake to Allakaket.

Moscow Underground Rivers

Yenisei River seasons

The Yenisei River powers Russian heavy industry and carves picturesque vistas as it flows over 3000 miles from Mongolia through Siberia before emptying out into the Arctic Ocean. Reuters photographer Ilya Naymushin documents much of the life on the river from his base in Krasnoyarsk, a city of nearly a million at the intersection of the Yenisei and the Trans-Siberian railroad. Gathered here are images of the Yenisei River through the seasons by Naymushin, most taken near Krasnoyarsk.

10 Incredible Confluences Around the World

10 Incredible Confluences Around the World

In geography, a confluence is the meeting of two or more bodies of water. Known also as a conflux, it refers either to the point where a tributary joins a larger river, called the main stem, or where two streams meet to become the source of a river of a new name, such as the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania creating the Ohio River.

The term is also used to describe the meeting of tidal or other non-riverine bodies of water, such as two canals or a canal and a lake. Below is a collection of 10 incredible confluences around the world. For more, there is a fascinating list of notable confluences onWikipedia that I recommend you check out.

The confluences below were selected for their dramatic visual contrast. Thus, culturally significant confluences such as the Sangam near Allahabad, India, where the sacred rivers Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati meet to create one of the holiest places in Hinduism, were not included for this reason. Please enjoy the list below and let us know of any other interesting confluences you are aware of. Perhaps we can do a follow-up post if there is interest!

1. Confluence of the Rhone and Arve Rivers in Geneva, Switzerland 

In this incredible photograph we see the confluence of the Rhone and Arve rivers in Geneva, Switzerland. The river on the left is the Rhone, which is just exiting Lake Lehman. The river on the right is the Arve, which receives water from the many glaciers of the Chamonix valley (mainly the Mer de Glace) before flowing north-west into the Rhone on the west side of Geneva, where its much higher level of silt brings forth a striking contrast between the two rivers. [Source]

Japanese River Bus

Japanese River Bus 

Artist Reydzi Matsumoto works in the genre of manga and anime, he designed a ship named Himiko. His creation is more like a spaceship than a river bus. Dimensions of Himiko: 33 x 8 meters, displacement is 114 tons.Tram route will run between areas of Asakusa and Odaiba, which contain several tourist attractions.The ship was called "Himiko" in honor of the legendary first queen of ancient Japan. He makes regular trips along the Sumida River from Asakusa to Odaiba island.

Goliath Tiger Fish

Goliath Tiger Fish

Goliath Tiger Fish is one of the most fearsome killers freshwater has ever found. It got ranked as one of the top 10 hardest-fighting freshwater fish on the world by “Fisherman’ magazine”. It can weigh over 100 pounds and its mouth is armed with 32 razor-sharp teeth which can shear trough the strongest steel leaders and even straighten hooks. Goliath tiger fishes can found in many rivers and lakes on the continent.

Mostly, Goliath Tiger Fish is found in the Congo River system being the largest of the family, which is one of the recognizable and ordinary species in Southern Africa. Its teeth are as sharp as knife and its jaws and muscles are very strong. It can grow up to 24 inches. Mostly it is seen in three color silver-white-grey, but some times these fishes also found in a metallic orange or yellow sheen. It is the only fish which can live in water impure by sulfur, According to research.

РThe Goliath Tigerfish caught between dawn and nightfall. The Goliath is a difficult fish to catch. A 30-40 pound fish is considered a great catch, while 50-60 pounders would be a monster. Goliath Tigerfish is the world’s largest member of the Characins which includes of all of the fish in the following families tetras, dollars, pencilfish, and piranhas.

They are famous for their ferocity when hunting. The tiger fish are aggressive predators and have razor sharp teeth which are inter-locking, together with their streamlined, muscular body built for speed. They have also a gas-filled sac in their body, which they use as a sound receiver. They feed Guppies, Ghost Shrimp, Rosy Reds and etc. Breeding is rare in captivity. Only H. vittatus has been known to spawn in the aquarium. It is a smaller species, reaching three feet in length. 

Incredibly Clear Waters of the Verzasca River

Incredibly Clear Waters of the Verzasca River

Cool turquoise waters of the mountain river Verzasca in Switzerland are crystal clear. From the depth of 10 m (33 ft.) one can easily see the bridge across its valley.

Crystal River – The most beautiful river on earth

Crystal River – The most beautiful river on earth

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Cano Cristales - Crystal River. River of five colors, as the locals call it, originates in the south of the mountain chain Macarena, Colombia, and flows eastward to its confluence with the Guayabero river. In the Cano Cristales found five colors: yellow, blue, green, black and red. All of them are waste product of many algae and, depending on time of year, color saturation, or weakened or strengthened.

The beauty of Puerto Princesa underground river

 The beauty of Puerto Princesa underground river

The 8.2 km-long (5 mile) Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on December 4, 1999, for its ecological value, and features a limestone formation containing an underground river that is reputed to be the longest navigable underground river in the world.