The Day It Rained Whale
In November 1970, an eight-ton sperm whale carcass washed up onto the beach in Florence, Oregon. Faced with a costly cleanup, local authorities grappled with how to dispose of such a massive animal. After consulting with the U.S. Navy, the Oregon Department of Transportation decided that the best thing to do was to take half a ton of dynamite and blow it up. The result was a minor disaster.