MUIR WOODS NATIONAL MONUMENT PARK, Calif. (AP) — A huge redwood tree fell and killed a man visiting Muir Woods National Monument Park in California on Christmas Eve, authorities said Thursday.
Subhradeep Dutta, 28, of Edina, Minnesota, died while walking on a marked dirt trail with two other people in the park north of San Francisco famous for its towering trees, according to the Marin County coroner's office and a spokesman for the park.
Dutta was pinned by the trunk of the 200-foot (60.96-meters)-tall tree and was pronounced dead at the scene. The trunk measured more than 4 feet (1.22 meters) in diameter.
A woman injured by falling debris was taken to the hospital for treatment. A man hiking with the group escaped injury.
The tree fell following a series of winter storms over the past two weeks.
“This is a very rare, and isolated event that may have occurred due to wet ground from recent winter storms, around the roots of the tree,” park spokesman Charles Strickfaden said in an email.
“The National Park Service extends its thoughts and prayers to all those involved,” he wrote.
Almost a million visitors visit the park each year. It remained open Thursday and only the areas affected by debris from the fallen tree were closed to the public.
As Cheddar celebrates phenomenal women during March, we’re taking a second to highlight a few trailblazers who helped shape the world we live in through science and tech.
When the World Health Organization declared a pandemic one year ago on Thursday, it did so only after weeks of resisting the term and maintaining the coronavirus could still be stopped.
Eisenhower’s interstate system was the biggest infrastructure project of its time. What justified the cost was its potential to connect all corners of America, but the unforeseen impacts of the highway system seemed to do the opposite of the intention.
Dr. Anne Zink, chief medical officer for the state of Alaska, spoke to Cheddar about Alaska's remarkable task of getting COVID vaccines to a widespread populace even as the state opens up eligibility to nearly everyone.
Jennifer Keesson, IKEA's U.S. sustainability manager, spoke to Cheddar about the retailer's ultimate goal of being climate positive by the start of the next decade.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy says Alaska has become the first state to drop eligibility requirements and allow anyone 16 or older who lives or works in the state to get a COVID-19 vaccination.
Fragments of a rare meteorite have been discovered in an English village. The discovery comes after residents were urged to check their gardens and neighborhoods after a meteor was seen shooting through the night sky last month.
Jeff King, senior director of global sustainability and social impact for Hersey's, talked to Cheddar about the candy giant's science-based plans to reduce its carbon footprint to tackle climate change.
Scientists have discovered that some Japanese sea slugs can grow whole new bodies if their heads are cut off.
Fully-vaccinated Americans can gather with other vaccinated people indoors without wearing a mask or social distancing.
