they may try to spin it that way but there are satellite records of atmospheric electricity and a particularly strong one flashed across from the east coast of spain down past the straight of gibraltar and faded off into the mediterranean, it's recorded, and probably tomorrow i will post a link to a podcast that will show the animation of the data

keep in mind there was also an island-wide blackout on Puerto Rico last week as well, we are coming up to heavy space weather season with the sun's galaxy-facing side now shining towards us which means we are more likely to get stronger solar flares and with the earth's magnetic field rapidly changing at the moment i'm betting there will be at least three or four of these incidents in the next month, and maybe a few more until after october when we pass back behind the galaxy facing side of the sun

there is a massive magnetic field propagation called the "galactic current sheet" which carries plasma and every 25000 years that field turns a full 360 degrees (it's caused by all of the stars in the centre of the galaxy spinning and us orbiting around that in that period) and when it passes into the 90 degree phase shift from the previous, it destabilises all of the polar magnetic fields of stars and planets and causes increased storms, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes (both are affected by the atmospheric electricity which charges the crust of the earth and via piezo electric effects it causes rocks to expand momentarily and where there is weak points in the fault lines they shake and shift up and down)

there is absolutely nothing they can do about it except try to convince people that it's their fault but the data strongly opposes this diagnosis, and within the next 15 years it is very likely that due to this field alignment change the earth's crust will come loose and slip 90 degrees, the current estimates put the new north pole in the carribean and gulf of mexico and south moves to around the area of the phillipines

the reason why this event is normally rare, like they announced, is because normally the earth's magnetic shield diverts the energy into the pole and it dissipates into the earth's field energy, emitting upwards from the poles where nobody lives, and that's what gives you aurorae

how you will know something is up is that there almost certainly is going to be massive aurorae in the coming month or two very high chance of it.

it's uncertain exactly when the earth will flip but most likely it will be preceded by a lot of heavy weather and volcanic/seismic activity, i don't think it is going to happen during this current solar maximum, but at least over 60% chance in 11 years time in the next peak