DAILY NEWS / TRENDING NEWS

 On the evening of October 6, 2025, a tragic event unfolded at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, when a female visitor in her 60s was found unresponsive after riding the Haunted Mansion. Emergency responders were called to the scene around 6:30 p.m., and Disneyland security personnel administered CPR until paramedics arrived. The woman was transported to a nearby hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

About the Haunted Mansion Ride

The Haunted Mansion, which opened in 1969, is one of Disneyland’s most iconic attractions. It features:

• A slow-moving “doom buggy” ride through a haunted estate

• Special effects and characters from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas during seasonal overlays

• A reputation for being family-friendly, with minimal physical intensity

At the time of the incident, the ride was operating under its Haunted Mansion Holiday theme, combining Halloween and Christmas elements.

Cause of Death and Investigation

According to the Anaheim Police Department, there was no indication of any malfunction or operational issue with the ride. The incident is being treated as an unfortunate medical episode, possibly a heart attack, though the official cause of death will be determined by the Orange County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office.

Officials have not released the woman’s name or city of residence, citing respect for the family’s privacy.

Expert Commentary on Theme Park Safety

Theme park consultant Dennis Speigel noted that deaths at major parks like Disneyland are extremely rare, especially on low-intensity rides like the Haunted Mansion. He emphasized:

• Disney’s rigorous safety inspections (daily, weekly, monthly)

• Oversight by the California Department of Industrial Relations

• Comparisons showing it’s safer to ride Disneyland attractions than drive on a freeway

This incident follows another fatality at Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe, where a man died after riding the Stardust Racers roller coaster in September 2025. While both cases are unrelated, they have prompted renewed scrutiny of theme park emergency protocols and guest health awareness.

 Hurricane Priscilla, a powerful Pacific storm, formed in early October 2025 and impacted Mexico’s southwestern coast before sending moisture into the U.S. Southwest. Initially a tropical storm, Priscilla intensified into a Category 2 hurricane with winds peaking at 110 mph, before weakening midweek.

Path and Progression

The storm’s center remained offshore but followed a northwestward path, skimming the coastlines of Jalisco, Colima, and Baja California Sur. Tropical storm watches were issued for regions from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita, with warnings of high surf and flooding3.

Rainfall Totals and Risk Zones

Heavy rainfall drenched parts of Mexico:

• Up to 8 inches in mountainous zones

• Flash flood risks in Michoacán, Guerrero, and Colima

• Rip currents and coastal erosion along Pacific beaches

U.S. Impact: Arizona and Beyond

Moisture from Priscilla reached Arizona, California, and Nevada, bringing:

• Rain chances of 40–70% in Phoenix and Globe

• Localized flooding alerts in flood-prone areas

• Cooler temperatures and increased humidity across the region

Though Hurricane Priscilla weakened by October 9, its lasting effects included flash flood threats, coastal hazards, and tropical moisture surges. The storm served as a reminder of how Pacific hurricanes can influence weather far beyond their origin, especially in vulnerable regions of the southwestern United States.

 On June 20, 2025, a devastating tornado tore through Enderlin, North Dakota, leaving behind a trail of destruction and claiming three lives. Initially rated as an EF3, the storm has now been officially upgraded to an EF5, the highest classification on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. This marks the first EF5 tornado in the United States since 2013, ending a 12-year drought of the most extreme tornado category.

An EF5 tornado is defined by wind speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour (322 km/h). These storms are capable of:

• Sweeping away well-built homes

• Uprooting and debarking trees

• Tossing vehicles and even train cars hundreds of feet

• Causing catastrophic damage over wide areas

The Enderlin tornado met these criteria after extensive analysis by the National Weather Service (NWS), which found evidence of train cars being lofted nearly 500 feet and grain hoppers tipped over, confirming wind speeds above 210 mph.

Path and Impact

• Location: Enderlin, North Dakota (60 miles southwest of Fargo)

• Date: June 20, 2025

• Fatalities: 3 confirmed deaths

• Path length: Over 12 miles

• Width: More than 1 mile at peak

• Damage: Farmsteads swept off foundations, trees stripped and snapped, rail cars derailed3

The tornado was part of a larger derecho system that brought widespread wind damage across North Dakota and into Minnesota.

Why the Upgrade Took Months

Although the tornado struck in June, the EF5 rating was only confirmed in October 2025. The delay occurred because:

• Damage surveys require forensic analysis

• Engineers and meteorologists reviewed structural failures

• Wind speed estimates were based on physical damage indicators like train car displacement

Without these indicators, the tornado might have remained classified as EF3 or EF4.

The last EF5 tornado in the U.S. occurred in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20, 2013, killing 24 people. Since then, no tornado had met the criteria for EF5—until Enderlin. This makes the June 2025 event historically significant for meteorologists and disaster researchers.

The North Dakota EF5 tornado is a stark reminder of nature’s power and unpredictability. As climate patterns shift and extreme weather events become more frequent, accurate classification and rapid response remain critical. For Enderlin and the surrounding communities, the scars of June 20 will not be forgotten—but the lessons learned may help save lives in the future.