NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

[nancyk58]

News in relation to natural disasters on 6+7+8.9.10

 

NEWS ON 6 + 7 + 8 SEPTEMBER 2010 IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

 

Danish DR1 TTV on 6.9.10: AUSTRALIANS READY TO BE EVACUATED

 

300 homes flooded in South-East AUSTRALIA. 53,000 Australians ready to leave their homes.

 

Very bad weather hit the state of VICTORIA this week-end. The bad weather triggered LANDSLIDES, knocked out the power supply in many areas and forced hundreds of people to leave their homes.

 

The water level in many rivers was expected to rise. 4,000 asked for assistance via telephone, because they were stranded in their homes or hit by the rising water masses.

 

The mayor in the northern town of Wangaretta in VICTORIA said that the floods are the worst in the area since 1998.

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German ZDFtext on 6.9.10: TROPICAL STORM "HERMINE" APPROACHES MEXICAN AND US COASTS

 

In the USA and MEXICO the authorities have issued WARNINGS / ALERTS, because the tropical storm "Hermine" gained strength in the Gulf of Mexico and approached the coast. The hurricane has reached wind speeds of up to 85 km per hour - so the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in Miami announced.

 

According to the National Hurricane Center, "Hermine" did not have the power / force of a hurricane, but could gain strength before reaching the mainland. According to forecasts, "Hermine" should reach the mainland Tuesday morning local time.

 

 

Danish DR1 TTV + TV2 News and German ZDtext: TROPICAL STORM "HERMINE" HITS MEXICO's COAST

 

"HERMINE" made a landfall on the north-eastern coast of MEXICO in an area close to the US border. According to US meteorologists Hermine hit the north-east coast in Mexico 65 km south of the city of Browsville in TEXAS and 170 km north-east of La Pesca in Mexico.

 

In MEXICO and the USA there were fears of floods, tornadoes and landslides and damage caused by the storm.

 

HERMINE is the 8th named storm in 2010's hurricane season.

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Note from Danish free paper Urban on 6.9.10 citing dr.dk (DR = Danish Radio (& Television) - a Danish TV channel:

 

ONE MILLION PAKISTANI HAVE NOT RECEIVED AID

 

The Pakistani government admits that one million victims of the massive floods last months have received NO AID.

 

The government is under hard pressure from Taleban and Islamic aid organizations who have been better at helping the victims.

 

Red Cross has experienced two cases of aid being prevented from reaching the victims because the vehicles were surrounded.

 

 

Danish newspaper BT ([email protected]) on Monday, 6 September 2010:

 

NOW THEY ARE RUNNING OUT OF FOOD

 

DESPERATION / DESPAIR:

 

NEEDY & DISTRESSED PAKISTANI VICTIMS OF HUNGER AND DISEASES

 

By Birger A. Andersen

 

A nightmare. Secretary-general Anders Ladekarl from Danish Red Cross does not hesitate when asked to characterize the extent of the flood disaster in Pakistan.

 

"I do not like to compare disasters, because it is impossible. The TSUNAMI KILLED 350,000 PEOPLE, and the EARTHQUAKE in HAITI KILLED almost 200,000 PEOPLE and DESTROYED A CITY.

 

But geographically and in terms of numbers of people affected, the PAKISTANI FLOOD DISASTER is probably THE WORST we have ever experienced.

 

It makes it a nightmare in terms of our relief efforts, because the disaster affects so many people in such a huge area where it is difficult to reach the victims. Even though the water has started to recede in some areas, the infrastructure is all gone," the secretary-general of Danish Red Cross adds.

 

DISEASES AND HUNGER

 

With almost 17 MILLION AFFECTED PAKISTANI, of which many have no access to clean drinking water, health is one of the big problems / issues in the nearest future. HUNGER and WATER-BORNE DISEASES such as CHOLERA and DIARRHOEA threaten to cost many, many human lives.

 

"We experience a rapidly increasing challenge in the health area. The number of cases of diarrhoea has exploded in the last couple of days, because people do not have access to clean drinking water, and they are staying in areas unfit to house so many people.

 

Sanitation & hygiene has deteriorated much / is poor, and even though some areas might have running water or water in the wells - that water is by far not clean, Anders Ladekarl stresses.

 

"The other big challenge is FOOD. People have run out of food. What they might have taken with them when fleeing the water masses, that is gone now. When we distribute food, people have become even aggressiver, because they are fighting to get some of the food distributed", he continues.

 

MONSOON RAIN

 

It is estimated that 8 MILLION PEOPLE from the flooded areas need AID URGENTLY - in particular FOOD and MEDICINE. During the last month, the heavy monsoon rain has flooded more than 1.2 million houses and submerged / flooded an area of the same size as Great Britain.

 

"In the beginning we hesitated to launch a collection in favour of Pakistan because the attention in Denmark was rather limited - we did not expect much money to be donated. But we are pleased that we were proven wrong.

 

In the last few days we have reached DKK 10 MILLION - donated by Danes. That is a high amount for a flood," says the secretary-general.

 

DANES GREATEST DONORS

 

The Danish state has donated DKK 130 MILLION in AID TO PAKISTAN. On a list of countries donating the highest amount to Pakistan, DENMARK IS NUMBER 6 according to the United Nations - but DENMARK is THE LARGEST DONOR / CONTRIBUTOR in relation to the number of INHABITANTS./COLOR]

[email protected]

 

 

UP TO 20 MILLION PAKISTANI ARE AFFECTED BY THE FLOODS

 

MORE THAN 2 MILLION PAKISTANI HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES

 

 

MANY HAVE LOST EVERYTHING

In many cases the victims of the massive floods in Pakistan have lost everything.

 

So far less than 2,000 PAKISTANI DIED, but a far greater death toll is likely when the SEQUELA set in due to the inhuman conditions with lack of clean drinking water and food as well as due to poor sanitary conditions.

 

 

THE DANGERS:

 

HUNGER. It is estimated that 8 MILLION PAKISTANI NEED AID URGENTLY - in particular FOOD AND MEDICINE

 

DIARRHOEA. A direct consequence of the lack of clean drinking water. In particular mothers and young girls are vulnerable, because they look after the younger children who are having diarrhoea.

 

CHOLERA. May spread rapidly. There is a particularly high risk of spreading in the flooded areas in Pakistan, because the disease-carrying bacterium (vibrio cholerae) is already widespread in Pakistan.

 

Dysentery. Serious diarrhoea.

 

Wells disease. The bacterium may be spread by urine from infected rats, mouse or other animals.

 

EYE and SKIN INFECTIONS. I.a. the infectious / contagious scabies, i.e. kind of skin disease causing itching.

 

End of BT articles / facts about PAKISTANI FLOOD

 

 

Danish TV2 News: PAKISTAN THREATENED BY NEW FLOODS

 

Aid workers are working hard to rescue 360,000 people out of 2 cities that are threatened by new massive floods in the southern part of Pakistan. 2.8 MILLION PAKISTANI are already EVACUATED due to the enormous water masses which have led to deaths and destruction during the past over 5 weeks.

 

"The situation in the cities of Dafu and Johi is serious. Enormous water masses are only 20 km away from the cities, and we cannot keep the massive floods out", says the minister of the interior of the province, Jam Saifullah Djarejo.

 

 

German ZDFtext + Danish TV2 News on 7.9.10: 10 MILLION HOMELESS DUE TO FLOOD

 

More than 10 MILLION PAKISTANI have lost their homes during the 6 WEEKS OF MASSIVE FLOODS IN PAKISTAN. They are still homeless, says UN in a new report.

 

"It is one of the worst humanitarian disasters in UN history", says Maurizio Giuliano - spokesman for the United Nations in Pakistan.

 

The latest floods in the southern SINDH province have increased the number of homeless in Pakistan.

 

 

If you would like to make a donation to help people affected by the floods in Pakistan, you can do so through the UK's Disasters Emergency Committee at http://www.dec.org.uk or by telephone on 0370 60 60 900

 

Or go to post 1 or 4 in the humanitarian thread: "HELP PAKISTAN and Kashmir AFTER DEVASTATING, MASSIVE FLOODS

 

Link here: http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=4417988

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Danish free paper MetroXpress on 6 September 2010:

 

LANDSLIDE BURYING RESCUE TEAM IN GUATEMALA

 

Up to 100 people might be buried after a landslide on a major highway in Guatemala, says a spokesman for the country's rescue operations.

 

Around 100 people tried to dig a bus free after the first landslide when another slide occurred - burying them, says the spokesman.

 

At least 36 people have been found dead in Guatemala after landslides and floods in many areas of Guatemala last week-end.

 

 

Danish DR1: AT LEAST 40 KILLED BY LANDSLIDES AND FLOODS IN MANY AREAS IN GUATEMALA THIS WEEK-END

 

German ARDtext: 44 KILLED BY LANDSLIDES IN GUATEMALA

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Danish free paper MetroXpress on 6 September 2010: AFTERSHOCKS SHAKE CHRISTCHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND

 

Yesterday, powerful aftershocks and winds hit New Zealand's second-largest city, Christchurch just as the inhabitants began the clean-up after the earthquake last Saturday that caused substantial damage to buildings and roads. Noone was killed by the quake - New Zealand's worst for 80 years.

 

House fronts fell down, parked cars were damaged or destroyed and broken glass was spread over the streets.

 

Loose roofing tiles and bricks continue to fall down caused by aftershocks.

 

Forecast is rain and winds up to 130 km/h. There are fears of additional damage to several houses or collapse of houses.

 

The earthquake last Saturday was measured at MAGNITUDE 7.0 on the Richter scale. Yesterday AFTERSHOCKS hit CHRISTCHURCH - the STRONGEST AFTERSHOCK was measured at MAGNITUDE 5.1 on the Richter scale. 500 buildings are estimated to be destroyed by the earthquake.

 

Swedish SVT on 7.9.10: NEW ZEALAND: POWERFUL AFTERSHOCKS IN CHRISTCHURCH

 

Powerful aftershocks have shaken Christchurch at the same time as parts of the city opened for the first time since the big quake on Saturday.

Tens of aftershocks have been recorded during the night. The most powerful aftershock was measured at magnitude 5.4.

 

Danish and Swedish text-TV on 8.9.10: There has been a magnitude 5.0 (maybe 5.1) aftershock on New Zealand. Loose roofing tiles and the like fell down.

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The Danish TV channel DR1 has visited HAITI: DR1's HAITI VERDICT: THE HAITI RECONSTRUCTION IS TOO SLOW

 

Haiti's capital 8 months after the devastation earthquake: Tents are still standing close in Port-au-Prince.

 

The customs authorities are delaying the relief work: It takes too long time to get the licenses needed to import the aid!

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Swedish SVT on 7.9.10: ETHIOPIA

According to the United Nations, 16,000 people have been forced to leave their homes since Logia river burst its bank and a dam breached in north-east Ethiopia. Earlier central parts of the country were hit by CLOUDBURSTS.

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More will follow Thursday!

[nancyk58]

News on 9 September 2010 in relation to natural disasters

 

NEWS ON 8 AND 9 SEPTEMBER 2010 IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

 

Danish DR1 TTV and TV2 News on 8.9.10: MASSIVE FOREST FIRES RAVAGING SPAIN

 

Many firefighters - assisted by aircrafts - are working hard to control the widespread forest and field fires in the neighbourhood of the city of VALENCIA.

 

The transportation in the area has been affected.

 

Arson is suspected in some of the cases of fires. A man has been arrested for having started one of the fires deliberately / intentionally. The fires broke out Tuesday before noon and gained strength since then. Strong winds and a long period of dry weather have provided a breeding ground for the fires.

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German ZDFtext on 8.9.10: TEN THOUSAND HOMELESS AFTER FLOODS IN SOUTHERN MEXICO

 

Floods following weeks of rain have made ten thousand people homeless in SOUTHERN MEXICO. Numerous other inhabitants have sought refuge on the roofs of their houses despite rapidly rising water levels.

 

In the Mexican state of TABASCO alone, the homes of more than 124,000 are under water. Many people have refused to leave their houses despite the warning of MORE RAIN.

 

The region has received twice as much rain as is normal for the entire season until November - according to the authorities.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11226611 / 8 September 2010 Last updated at 11:57 GMT

 

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS HIT BY MEXICO FLOODING

 

Weeks of HEAVY RAIN have brought WIDESPREAD FLOODING to wide swathes of EASTERN and SOUTHERN MEXICO.

 

Hundreds of thousands of people have seen RAPIDLY RISING RIVERS break their banks and inundate their communities.

 

Authorities have been trying to evacuate the worst-hit areas but some people are refusing to leave, seeking refuge on the roofs of their houses.

 

Among the most severely affected areas is Tlacotalpan, a colonial-era town declared a world heritage site.

 

Most of Tlacotalpan's residents have left the town to seek shelter elsewhere in the state of Veracruz, Mexican officials said.

 

Over the past few weeks, some 200,000 people in Veracruz have been forced to abandon their homes.

 

'WORST TO COME'

 

The torrential rains and subsequent flooding have also affected the states of TABASCO, CHIAPAS and OAXACA.

 

In TABASCO, more than 124,000 PEOPLE have been AFFECTED but many have opted to stay.

 

They are refusing to leave their homes and they don't want to go to shelters because they have a culture of living with water," said Tabasco Governor Andres Granier.

 

"What worries me is that the worst is yet to come for TABASCO. The state and these people cannot keep suffering these problems each year, or live in permanent uncertainty."

 

TABASCO was the scene of devastating floods three years ago.

 

During a visit to the state on Tuesday Mexican President Felipe Calderon said the rains in the region during July and August were three and a half times more than usual.

 

The rainy season does not officially end until November.

 

The government has pursued flood-control measures in recent years. Mr Calderon said these had helped to avoid a wider disaster but he accepted that more needed to be done.

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COLORADO WILDFIRES FORCE EVACUATION OF 3,500 RESIDENTS

 

Posted on http://www.care2.com/causes/global-warming/blog/wildfires-devastate-colorado/ - Posted by Beth Buczynski *)

 

Authorities in Boulder, COLORADO are struggling to control a raging wildfire that has already destroyed nearly 150 homes in just three days and forced EVACUATIONS of OVER 3,000 RESIDENTS.

 

Already dubbed ONE OF the MOST DESTRUCTIVE FIRES in COLORADO history, firefighters estimate the blaze has scorched about 6,200 acres, or roughly 10 square miles, in just a few days time.

 

The fire broke out in a parched area near Boulder on Monday, and high winds and dry conditions have helped it to spread quickly.

 

To make matters worse, the quickly spreading flames aren't the only danger facing the firefighters as they battle the blaze.

 

Laura McConnell, a spokeswoman for the local fire management team, said they're also dealing with downed power lines, debris, poison ivy, rattlesnakes, and propane tanks in the normally densely populated area.

 

Air tankers have already dumped 35,000 gallons of fire retardant on the blaze while crews continue to build containment lines on the eastern side of the fire.

 

*) Beth Buczynski is a freelance copy writer and environmental blogger living in Northern Colorado

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Swedish SVT on 9.9.10: INDIA: 50 DIED as a bus was washed away in a flooded river in Madhya Pradesh.

 

Today, 21 people have been confirmed dead, 40 passengers survived, and 10 are missing.

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Swedish SVT on 9.9.10: RUSSIA: FOREST FIRES SPREADING - AT LEAST 6 DIED

 

Forest fires spreading from north-west Kazakstan to Altaj in Russian Siberia cost at least 6 human lives.

 

More than 400 villages were destroyed. Helicopters and aircrafts are in action to fight the fires.

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ADDED 9.9.10 at 21pm:

 

Danish free paper URBAN on 9.9.10: NEW ZEALAND'S SECOND-LARGEST CITY CHRISTCHURCH HIT BY AFTERSHOCKS

 

NEW ZEALAND: Yesterday, Christchurch was struck by the most powerful aftershock since the powerful earthquake last week-end. More than 100 minor aftershocks and tremors have been recorded since the earthquake last week-end. Yesterday's most powerful aftershock made buildings collapse and the power was cut, and people panicked and fled - according to CNN.

[nancyk58]

News on 10 September 2010 in relation to natural disasters

 

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 10.9.10

 

German ARDtext: BAD WEATHER KILLS AT LEAST 4 PEOPLE IN SOUTHERN USA

 

The death toll after FLOODS IN SOUTHERN USA rises. According to information given by the authorities AT LEAST 4 DIED in the FLOODS, 3 are missing.

 

There has been HEAVY RAIN as a consequence of the TROPICAL STORM "HERMINE" in TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, ARKANSAS and MISSOURI.

 

The streets were transformed into violent brooks. At least 2 car drivers died in the floods in TEXAS. The dead body of a 23-year-old man was found, and in OKLAHOMA a 19-year-old man drowned.

 

 

TV2 News on 10.9.10: MUDSLIDE IN ITALY

[nancyk58]

News on 11 September 2010

 

NEWS ON 11 SEPTEMBER 2010 IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11267527

 

MUDSLIDE ENGULFS ITALIAN VILLAGE

 

In ITALY the town of Antrani on the Amalfi coast has been hit by FLASH FLOODING and MUDSLIDES.

 

This is after HEAVY RAINS caused a river to burst its banks. At least one person is believed to be missing as a result of the deluge.

 

Duncan Kennedy reports.

[nancyk58]

News on 12 September 2010 in relation to natural disasters

 

NEWS ON 12 SEPTEMBER 2010 IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

 

TV2 News: MONSOON RAIN FORCES 300,000 PEOPLE TO FLEE IN NORTH-EAST INDIA

 

At least 10 DIED and 300,000 were forced to leave their homes during FLOODS AND LANDSLIDES in NORTH-EASTERN PARTS OF INDIA.

 

FLOODS in the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam washed bridges, houses and schools away.

 

In ASSAM, 300,000 from 250 villages in 4 districts have been DISPLACED. At least 2 DIED.

 

The KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK with the world's largest population of rhinoceros with one horn has also been flooded.

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German ZDFtext: LANDSLIDES IN GUATEMALA

 

5 people have been KILLED in GUATEMALA by a LANDSLIDE. According to the authorities, this happened in the highland where - after a long period of rain - several mudslides and rockslides were triggered in the mountainous area killing a family of 5.

 

The death toll has risen to 53 in Guatemala. A STATE OF EMERGENCY CONTINUES in the areas with recent landslides.

 

A total of 270 people have DIED in the Central-American country.

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Swedish SVT, Danish TV2 + German ARDtext: MASSIVE FLOODS IN CHAD

 

In the Central-African state of CHAD, HEAVY RAIN has caused MASSIVE FLOODS in more than half of all regions in Chad.

 

According to OCHA, UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, almost 70,000 have become HOMELESS. A total of almost 145,000 people in Chad are AFFECTED by the floods.

 

An area of over 31,000 hectares of agricultural land has been destroyed threatening the supply of foods. The numbers will rise as some areas are not accessible.

 

CHAD suffers from SHORTAGE OF FOOD because the latest harvest was a very poor one.

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 13 SEPTEMBER 2010 - N Korea + Pakistan

 

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 13 SEPTEMBER 2010

 

NEWS IN RELATION TO PAKISTAN on 12 SEPTEMBER 2010

 

PAKISTANI MINORITIES DENIED AID

 

posted by: Natasha G. (a Care2 Campaigner passionate about politics, race, poverty and social movements)

 

Groups of Pakistanis affected by the devastating floods are claiming that local government officials are denying them aid.

 

Al-Jazeera reports that the marginalized Ahmadiyya and Shia communities, which have been the subject of various suicide bombings and attacks, have been denied aid. Recently a Pakistani newspaper reported that 500 Ahmadiyya families were denied shelter in the southern Punjab province.

 

In addition, survivors in a camp near Karachi have accused the ruling Pakistan People's Party of focusing on its party supporters when distributing aid. The PPP denies the claims and adds that Pakistan needs the help of the U.N. and the rest of the world to adequately help those in need.

 

Human rights groups confirm local government officials are discriminating against victims, but because the flood distaster is so massive, it is difficult to determine how widespread or unequal the aid distribution is. Meanwhile, international aid organizations such as the World Food Program deny they discriminate when distributing aid.

 

Hundreds of thousands of people continue to flee their towns as Pakistan's floods ravage on. One fifth of the country is under water, and over 1,750 have died.

 

 

http://www.care2.com/causes/human-rights/blog/pakistan-s-floods-leave-families-hungry-and-destitute/

 

PAKISTAN's FLOODS LEAVE FAMILIES HUNGRY AND DESTITUTE by: Nicole Nuss

 

COMMENT by Rubin, SOS Children's Villages :

 

Without food and homes, hundreds of thousands of Pakistani families are living on the brink following this summer's tragic floods. Billions of dollars in damage to Pakistan's farmland and infrastructure have forced food prices beyond the reach of people in need.

 

The result, according to IRIN news service, is that many families are going days without a meal.

 

Aid organizations large and small such as the World Food Program (WFP) and SOS Children's Villages are coordinating with local partners to distribute food rations. But need far exceeds supply.

 

"We are very concerned about the nutritional situation. About 2.8 million people have been reached, but there are others in need. Camps are crowded and people are sleeping on the sides of the roads," World Food Program spokesperson Frances Kennedy told IRIN.

 

WFP is rushing dry rations to different points across the affected regions.

 

SOS Children's Villages has so far distributed 1,000 food packages to families in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and south Punjab.

 

Each package contains flour, lentils, rice, cooking oil, sugar, tea, milk powder, salt, soap, candles, and matches. Many more packages will get to families as more funding becomes available.

 

PUTTING A FACE ON HUNGER

 

Pannu Soorat, a 45-year-old traveling with his wife, mother, and five children ages 2-14, is at the end of his rope. "There is no space in the camp we went to. We are tired. My mother has a bad leg and we can't walk any further. We are also told the camps won't let us bring in the three goats we brought with us, so what are we to do with them?" he asked, speaking to an IRIN reporter along a road outside Thatta, in Sindh Province.

 

In the last 24 hours, he and his family collectively had eaten three packets of potato crisps, a few sweets, and a banana given to them by a team of TV reporters.

 

"The situation here is terrible. We left our home in Jafarabad District [balochistan Province] two weeks ago and have lived off almost nothing since then," said Hasan Baloch, 30, living in a camp near Sibi, Balochistan Province, with his wife and two-year-old child. "My son is now sick with fever and we have no food to give him," he said.

 

A single, small plate of lentils is all the family had consumed in the last day.

 

Even families lucky enough to remain in their homes are facing HUNGER.

 

Forty-year-old Asadullah Khan, living at home in Nowshera with his wife, four children ages 3-11, and parents, told IRIN that in the last 24 hours the family had eaten some roti (flatbread) with yoghurt, and some lentils.

 

"Prices have skyrocketed after the floods. We are back in our home but can hardly afford to buy even the lentils, flour, and vegetables, like onions, that fed us in the past," said Asadullah.

 

To learn more, visit SOS Children's Villages and The World Food Program.

 

 

German ARDtext: FLOOD: SOUTH KOREA HELPS NORTH KOREA WITH RELIEF SUPPLIES

 

After massive FLOODS in NORTH KOREA, South Korea will send 5,000 tons of rice and other relief supplies to North Korea.

 

According to the SOUTH KOREAN RED CROSS, the government in Seoul makes aid to the total value of 10 billion Won or 6.7 million Euro available. Rice, cement, medicaments and other goods will be sent to Pyongyang.

 

Despite political tensions between the two countries, Pyongyang asked South Korea for help following the MASSIVE FLOODS in NORTH KOREA.

[nancyk58]

NEWS ON 14 SEPTEMBER 2010 IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

 

Ardtext: AT LEAST 25 FLOOD VICTIMS IN SOUTH-EAST MEXICO

 

At least 25 have been KILLED by MASSIVE FLOODS in SOUTH-EAST MEXICO since the end of AUGUST.

 

1 MILLION PEOPLE ARE HOMELESS according to the local authorities. In the Mexican state of OAXACA on the Pacific coast, 15 people died and additional 10 died in the neighbouring Mexican state of VERACRUZ.

 

The authorities asked for United Nations' assistance to establish the damage to the 540 HISTORIC MONUMENTS standing under water. The location with these monuments - TLACOTALPAN - is part of UNESCO's WORLD HERITAGE.

 

 

Swedish SVT: HURRICANE IGOR MAY GAIN STRENGTH TO A "MONSTER"

 

That statement was made by US meteorologists. It might become a category 5 storm (= hurricane). It is already a dangerous category 4 storm (hurricane) with winds up to 67m per second. It is moving to the west over the Atlantic Ocean and gains strength over the warm ocean.

 

So far, Igor poses no threat to the American mainland. There is, however, a little risk of the hurricane moving acrosss the US east coast.

[nancyk58]

News on 16 September 2010 in relation to natural disasters

 

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 16 SEPTEMBER 2010

 

CNN LIVE: A CNN correspondent or reporter was flying over a flooded Pakistani area in a helicopter together with an aid agency.

 

He saw LOTS OF TENT CITIES 6 WEEKS INTO THE DISASTER.

 

US is concerned that the PAKISTANI floods help extremists.

 

FLOODS CONTINUE TO SPREAD IN THE SOUTH.

 

20 MILLION PAKISTANI ARE AFFECTED OF WHICH 10 MILLION ARE HOMELESS.

 

SO FAR 1,760 HAVE DIED DUE TO THE FLOODS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS DISASTER - according to the UN.

 

 

German ZDFtext: IMF APPROVED AN EXPECTED $451 MILLION IN EMERGENCY FUNDING

 

On Wednesday, 15 September 2010 IMF APPROVED AN EXPECTED $451 MILLION or almost 350 MILLION EURO IN EMERGENCY FUNDING to help the country rebuild and overcome the flood disaster. That amount is separate from a $11 billion IMF-backed economic program agreed in 2008.

 

The money is to flow into the national budget to cover the extraordinary costs of aid & relief for the flood victims - according to the IMF in Washington.

 

Since the beginning of the flood disaster at the beginning of August, 1,760 PEOPLE HAVE DIED according to the UN.

 

10 MILLION ARE HOMELESS.

 

About 10 million flood victims are in URGENT NEED of food and shelter. Aid agencies warn that water-borne diseases and hunger could kill many more.

 

 

http://www.globalpost.com/breaking-news/global/pakistan-must-raise-billions-after-flood-holbrooke-0

 

PAKISTAN MUST RAISE BILLIONS AFTER FLOOD: HOLBROOKE

 

Reuters / September 16, 2010 12:53 GMT - By Michael Georgy

 

KARACHI (Reuters) - Pakistan's allies will only do so much to REBUILD the country after devastating floods so the government must raise tens of billions of dollars for RECONSTRUCTION itself, a top U.S. official said on Thursday.

 

The floods, triggered by heavy monsoon rain in late July, killed more than 1,750 people, forced at least 10 million people from their homes and caused up to $43 billion in damage.

 

"The international community is not going to be able to raise tens of billions of dollars," U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke told a meeting of newspaper editors in the southern city of Karachi.

 

"You have to figure out a way to raise the money," he said.

 

A massive cascade of waters swept through the country, washing away homes, roads, bridges, crops and livestock, sending the vital U.S. ally in the campaign against militancy reeling in one of the worst natural disasters in recorded history.

 

Pakistan's economy was already fragile and the cost of rehabilitation will likely push the 2010/11 fiscal deficit to between 6 and 7 percent of gross domestic product (GPD) against an original target of 4 percent.

 

The floods are "going to put your government to the test," Holbrooke said.

 

RECONSTRUCTION WORRY

 

Pakistan's tax to GDP ratio is about 10 percent, one of the lowest in the world, and while the government has called for greater revenue collection, it has done little to broaden a very narrow tax base.

 

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the government was contemplating measures to generate revenues inside the country.

 

"We...intend to revisit our budgetary priorities to cap non-development expenditures, to reprioritize our development allocations and to see what we can do to mobilize national resources," he told reporters in the city of Multan along with Holbrooke and Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd.

 

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday approved an expected $451 MILLION in EMERGENCY FUNDING to help the country rebuild. That amount is separate from a $11 billion IMF-backed economic program agreed in 2008.

 

About 10 million flood victims are in urgent need of food and shelter. Aid agencies warn that water-borne diseases and hunger could kill many more.

 

"I have seen many refugee camps in the last 40 years but I have not seen people along the roads in such numbers and in such desperate situations and we need to help them," Holbrooke said after visiting flood-hit areas near Multan.

 

The United States has taken the lead in providing emergency aid, contributing $261 million for relief and security.

 

Washington wants to make sure the floods do not create political turmoil in Pakistan, which faces a Taliban insurgency at home and is under U.S. pressure to tackle militants who cross the border to attack U.S.-led NATO troops in Afghanistan.

 

(Additional reporting by Sahar Ahmed in Karachi; Writing by Chris Allbritton; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)

[nancyk58]

News on 17 September 2010 in relation to natural disasters

 

UN LAUNCHES $2BN APPEAL FOR PAKISTAN FLOOD VICTIMS

 

 

The UN has launched an appeal for more than $2bn (£1.3bn) to HELP PAKISTANI FLOOD VICTIMS, its largest ever response to a natural disaster.

 

The widespread flooding has AFFECTED some 20 MILLION PEOPLE in an area larger than England.

 

UN officials said the amount of money requested reflected "the ENORMOUS HUMAN and GEOGRAPHIC SCALE" of the disaster.

 

The funds, which include $500m already raised, will be used to help up to 14 million people over a period of a year.

 

The cash will fund projects carried out by 15 UN bodies and more than 100 aid agencies.

 

UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos said countries around the world had been "extremely generous" and that the government and people of Pakistan had "already done much to help families affected by these floods".

 

But she said Pakistan was "seeing the equivalent of a new disaster every few days" as rivers continued to burst their banks in some areas.

 

"We simply cannot stand by and watch the immense suffering in a disaster of this scale," she said.

 

"Our task is to give people the help they need."

 

SLOW START

 

Nearly $500m was raised in the previous UN appeal, set up in the aftermath of the flooding, so the actual amount still to be raised is $1.6bn.

 

Millions of people have lost everything, there is immense damage to infrastructure, and Pakistan's development prospects may be disrupted for years.

 

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says hundreds of thousands of people lost shops and small businesses and that farmers who are unable to plant crops in the next planting season could be dependent on aid until well into 2012.

 

Health officials have also warned of a looming HEALTH CRISIS as a result of WATERBORNE DISEASES and POOR LIVING CONDITIONS among displaced people.

 

Aid has been coming in, but it got off to a slow start and has been hard to maintain, partly because the crisis has gone on for so long, say the BBC's Barbara Plett at the UN.

 

Officials say they need to work harder to keep Pakistan's pressing needs on the international agenda.

 

The extensive damage is a daunting challenge for the country's WEAK GOVERNMENT and FRAGILE ECONOMY, our correspondent adds.

 

But the US envoy to Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, has stressed that the authorities will have to generate more revenue, saying aid alone will not be able to rebuild the country.

---------------------------------------------

 

German ZDFtext + ARDtext: A POWERFUL STORM PARALYSED NEW YORK'S RUSH-HOUR TRAFFIC

 

New York's rush-hour traffic was paralysed by a powerful storm. The traffic on the streets were stuck, the airports cancelled all flights, and the railways had to cancel some trains, while other trains were delayed. Only New York's subway was functioning, but the trains were packed.

 

At least one person - a woman - was killed as a tree landed on her car. Dozens were injured.

 

On an expressway (motorway) near Kennedy Airport, dozens of trees came down. Three trucks overturned.

 

More than 30,000 of New York's inhabitants were without power for some time. The police advised New York's population to stay at home.

 

The powerful storm with winds up to 130 km per hour was quite unexpected according to a meteorologist.

 

Heavy rain and thunder accompanied the powerful storm.

----------------

 

NIGER'S CYCLE OF POVERTY AND HUNGER. The west African state of NIGER was hit by a terrible DROUGHT and now FLOODS have washed away much of this year's harvest. ----------------

 

HAILSTORM AND RAINS BATTER SPAIN:

 

Parts of SPAIN have suffered SEVERE WEATHER, leaving cars trapped by hail and PROPERTIES FLOODED.

 

The HAILSTORMS hit the CACERES province and MADRID experienced HEAVY RAINFALL.

-----------------

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11342007 / 17 September 2010 Last updated at 19:04 GMT

 

HURRICANE KARL HITS SOUTH-EASTERN MEXICO

 

Hurricane KARL has made landfall on MEXICO's south-eastern coast, becoming the first major storm of the Atlantic season to hit land, US officials say.

 

With winds of up to 110mph (177km/h), the hurricane roared ashore some 10 miles (15km) north of VERACRUZ, the National Hurricane Center says.

 

KARL has already forced Mexico's Pemex oil to halt production at 14 offshore wells and evacuate staff.

 

To the east Hurricane IGOR has weakened slightly, but remains a major storm.

IGOR, which is pushing sustained speeds of 125mph, is threatening to pass directly over BERMUDA on Sunday, the US-based NHC has warned, with the US EAST COAST also affected by the WEEKEND.

 

A third simultaneous hurricane, JULIA, which is towards the centre of the Atlantic Ocean, has weakened further, with sustained winds of 80mph.

 

FLASH FLOOD THREAT

 

The NHC says that KARL hit MEXICO's GULF COAST at 1630 GMT as a category three hurricane. It was later downgraded to two.

 

The storm is currently MOVING WEST at a speed of about 8mph, the NHC says.

 

It is set to pass close to Mexico's only nuclear generator - at Laguna Verde.

 

The Mexican government has issued a HURRICANE WARNING for a 186-mile stretch of coast FROM VERACRUZ NORTHWARDS.

 

On Thursday, KARL made landfall as a tropical storm as it passed over the Yucatan Peninsula, dumping HEAVY RAIN and bringing down trees and power lines.

 

The NHC has said that heavy rain from the hurricane brings the threat of "life-threatening FLASH FLOODING, especially in mountainous areas" and in coastal areas of a dangerous storm surge "which will raise water levels by as much as 2-3m above normal tide levels along the immediate coast near and to the north of where the centre makes landfall".

 

The state of VERACRUZ has already experienced SEVERE FLOODING in recent weeks, as Mexico's rainy season continues.

 

NINE people in the state have been KILLED BY the FLOODS and the homes of an estimated 80,000 people have been damaged.

 

NATIONWIDE, 25 people have DIED and about ONE MILLION have been AFFECTED by the floods.

 

Meanwhile, the GOVERNMENT in BERMUDA has issued a HURRICANE WATCH for IGOR.

 

A spokeswoman for Bermuda's Emergency Measures Organization said that the island could "expect tropical storm force winds some time around midnight

Saturday and even worse conditions late Sunday".

[nancyk58]

News on 19+20.9.10 in relation to natural disasters

 

NEWS ON 19 + 20 SEPTEMBER 2010 IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

 

 

BBC World News on 20.9.10: BP OIL SPILL WELL "EFFECTIVELY DEAD"

Oil giant BP finally seals the ruptured well that has spewed millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, US officials say.

------------------

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11360782 / 20 September 2010 Last updated at 06:23 GMT

 

TAIWAN CLEANS UP AS TYPHOON FANAPI REACHES CHINA

 

Clean-up operations are underway in Taiwan after Typhoon Fanapi brought high winds and flooding to southern regions.

 

Schools and businesses were closed in the wake of the typhoon, which left about 100 people injured.

 

In some places troops used amphibious vehicles to rescue people trapped by flooding.

 

Fanapi has now made landfall in FUJIAN in EASTERN CHINA, where fishing vessels have been brought back to shore.

 

Some residents have also been evacuated from vulnerable areas ahead of the storm.

 

"FANAPI is the STRONGEST TYPHOON to hit FUJIAN in 2010 and we should prepare for the worst," Xinhua news agency quoted Fujian's Communist Party chief Sun Chunlan as saying.

 

Meteorologists in Taiwan said Fanapi had brought as much as 44 inches (112cm) of rain to some southern areas.

 

As it passed over Taiwan all international flights from Khaosiung were halted, as were domestic flights and rail services.

 

Many of the injured were cut by broken glass or came off motorcycles in high winds, Taiwan's Central Emergency Operation Centre said.

 

Last year more than 700 people were killed and thousands left homeless in TAIWAN by FLOODS and MUDSLIDES caused by TYPHOON MORAKOT.

 

 

Danish News live + Swedish SVT on 20.09.10: TYPHOON FANAPI IN TAIWAN

 

CLOUDBURSTS and WINDS of 45m/s followed typhoon FANAPI that swept over TAIWAN on Monday.

 

More than 100 PEOPLE were INJURED, but worse weather was feared. Apparently NOONE DIED.

 

There were local measurements of 1,125 mm or 112,5 cm RAIN! VAST AREAS are FLOODED. Several factories and schools were forced to close.

 

CHINA has prepared for FANAPI's arrival. The FUJIAN province has MASS-EVACUATED 150,000 PEOPLE.

-----------------------

 

German ARDtext + BBC World News write about HURRICANE IGOR REACHING BERMUDA

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11367684 / 20 September 2010 Last updated at 01:38 GMT

 

HURRICANE IGOR REACHES BERMUDA

 

Bermuda is bracing itself for the arrival of the full force of Hurricane Igor, a category-two storm expected to bring torrential rains and fierce winds.

 

The island's premier has said it is likely to be one of the worst hurricanes ever to threaten Bermuda.

 

Stephanie Holmes reports.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11367716

 

HURRICANE IGOR SWEEPS NORTH PAST BERMUDA

 

20 September 2010 Last updated at 10:44 GMT

 

The storm has sent HUGE WAVES crashing over coastal defences in Bermuda.

 

Hurricane IGOR is moving NORTH-EAST of Bermuda after pounding the island with huge winds and fierce waves.

 

The storm caused FLOODING and POWER CUTS to thousands of homes, but spared Bermuda the widespread destruction of a direct hit.

 

It is now 110 miles north of Bermuda, travelling at 20mph (32km/h), and due to pass the CANADIAN COAST on Tuesday.

 

The Canadian hurricane centre has issued a TROPICAL STORM WATCH for the NEWFOUNDLAND COAST.

 

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) says the CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE will pass the southeastern tip of NEWFOUNDLAND, with maximum winds of 75 mph (120 km/h).

 

Bermuda has downgraded its hurricane threat to a TROPICAL STORM THREAT, as fears of substantial damage fade.

 

Officials earlier on Monday warned that Igor could have been the worst storm the British overseas territory had ever seen.

 

POWER CUTS

 

A Royal Navy warship and helicopter had been standing offshore ready to help with relief efforts.

 

But considerable damage was still reported, as residents battened down their homes and property, and winds brought down trees and power lines.

 

FLOODING was reported in low-lying areas late on Sunday, while streets in the CAPITAL HAMILTON were under several inches of water and littered with storm debris.

 

There have been no reports of anyone being injured.

 

Bermuda's energy company, Belco, said about 16,000 of its 35,000 customers were without power.

 

"Everybody just hunker down and wait until this thing is over," a spokesman for the island's emergency measures organisation advised.

 

Earlier, officials warned that Igor could rival Hurricane Fabian, which claimed four lives and caused millions of dollars of damage in 2003.

 

"Our country and our people have, throughout our history, rarely faced the full fury of a storm of this magnitude," Premier Ewart Brown said.

 

"As a people we will continue to pray that once again we will be spared."

 

As well as having the Royal Navy ship standing by, authorities also mobilised the island's forces - the Bermuda Regiment.

 

Bermuda - with a population of some 67,000 - is a chain of 138 islands, many of them small and uninhabited, spanning only 22 sq miles (57 sq km).

------------

 

German ZDFtext on 19.9.10: CYCLONE "KARL": 3 DEAD AND 7 MISSING IN MEXICO

 

According to the authorities, more than 3 died due to the cyclone "Karl": 2 died in the state of PUEBLA in MEXICO due to a LANDSLIDE, and in TABASCO a child drowned in a river. 7 are MISSING in MEXICO.

 

In VERACRUZ where the cyclone KARL had made LANDFALL on Friday, about 500,000 INHABITANTS were AFFECTED by the cyclone according to the local governor. In more than 100 towns and villages in the Mexican state of VERACRUZ, FLOODS have occurred.

-------------------

 

German ARDtext: 47 KILLED BY FLOODS AND LANDSLIDES IN NORTH INDIA

 

FLOODS and LANDSLIDES after heavy monsoon rain have cost 47 HUMAN LIVES in NORTH INDIA.

 

In ALMORAH county in the Union state of UTTRAKHAND, falling rocks destroyed several houses killing 24 people according to a spokesman for the government.

 

During the week-end, 23 were KILLED by FLOODS or were buried under their collapsing houses. After DROUGHT in 2009, INDIA is now hit by HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS and there is FEAR of FLOODS in many regions.

-------------------

 

TV2 NEWS, LIVE on 18.9 showed Pakistani returning to their homes in the flooded areas after the water had started to recede. Also the aid agencies were on the location. The current situation in the flooded areas in Pakistan is much worse than expected.

 

 

German ARDtext on 19.9.10: UN SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON APPEALS TO THE WORLD COMMUNITY TO SPEED UP AID TO PAKISTAN

 

PAKISTAN URGENTLY NEEDS $2 billion.

 

BAN KI-MOON: "Floods are testing the world-wide solidarity", said Ban during an extraordinary meeting of ministers in New York.

"Basically, Pakistan's stability is in the interest of the entire world".

 

 

German ARDtext + ZDFtext on 20.9.10.: GERMANY INCREASES HELP TO PAKISTAN

After United Nations' donors conference in New York, Germany's minister for Development Aid, Dirk Niebel confirmed that Germany's development aid will rise by 10 million Euro

 

to a total of about 50 million Euro (ARDtext) OR

to a total of 35 million Euro (ZDFtext).

 

This increase followed an appeal from UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon.

 

 

Swedish SVT on 20.9.10: AGRICULTURAL CRISIS IN PAKISTAN

 

It may take up to 2 years before Pakistan's agriculture - so vital to Pakistan's economy - has recovered fully from the flood disaster.

 

The ESTIMATE was published by the Asian Development Bank, ADB today, Monday. The estimate of Pakistan's economic damage was made together with the WORLD BANK.

 

Up to 2 billion dollar in trade support to Pakistan.

 

An INCREASE in the support to Pakistan has been pledged at United Nations' meeting in New York.

[chuck kottke]

Here's a way to find out more about the flood and the U.S. effort for relief in Pakistan: YouTube - USEmbassyIslamabad's Channel

Embassy of the United States Islamabad Pakistan - Home

 

If any of my fellow U.S. citizens are concerned, please contact your Senator or Representative and ask them to authorize more assistance to aid in the relief effort in Pakistan. From what I hear, there's a bill winding it's way through Congress as we speak, and it might need a little nudging to get it past the final hurtles.

:)

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 21 SEPTEMBER 2010

 

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 21 SEPTEMBER 2010

 

German ZDFtext: AT LEAST 16 KILLED IN CONNECTION WITH A HURRICANE IN MEXICO

 

The victims died due to LANDSLIDES or they DROWNED in the FLOOD in VERACRUZ, the WORST AFFECTED MEXICAN STATE.

 

According to the authorities ALMOST ONE MILLION are AFFECTED by the DEVASTATION and FLOODS.

 

The hurricane made LANDFALL FRIDAY with wind speeds of almost 200km/h in SOUTH EAST MEXICO. Numerous streets were blocked and international flights cancelled.

 

 

Danish TV2 News: 16 KILLED BY HURRICANE "KARL" IN MEXICO LAST WEEK

 

This information was given by Mexico's authorities. The state of VERACRUZ was hard hit by the hurricane which brought ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF RAIN and FLOODS. Several people are still missing.

 

500,000 people have been affected by hurricane "Karl" in the state, and 100,000 had to leave their homes.

 

The devastation due to the hurricane amounts to many million dollars. "Karl" hit Mexico's coast in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

 

German ARDtext: 16 KILLED BY HURRICANE "KARL" IN MEXICO / 2 KILLED BY TYPHOON "FANAPI" IN TAIWAN

 

According to President Felipe Calderón who visited several affected villages in South East Mexico, 11 people have been arrested, charged with looting.

According to the authorities ALMOST 1 MILLION are AFFECTED by DEVASTATION. 112 OUT OF VERACRUZ's 274 COUNTIES / DISTRICTS are UNDER WATER.

 

TAIWAN has been hit by TYPHOON "FANAPI". The result was the LOSS OF AT LEAST 2 HUMAN LIVES and MILLION-HIGH DAMAGE. The 2 victims DROWNED as a result of the MASSIVE FLOODS.

---------------------------------------------------

 

http://islamabad.usembassy.gov/pr-10091601.html

 

Press Releases 2010

 

FACT SHEET

 

 

U.S. RESPONSE TO PAKISTAN's FLOODING DISASTER

 

September 15, 2010

 

The United States has responded IMMEDIATELY and GENEROUSLY to Pakistan's call for assistance following the tragic and devastating floods that began July 29.

 

The United States Government is now providing APPROXIMATELY $268 MILLION to assist with RELIEF and RECOVERY efforts, which does not include considerable in-kind and technical assistance specifically to address the impact of these floods.

 

This includes approximately $218 million to support IMMEDIATE RELIEF EFFORTS in Pakistan, through many local and international organizations, the Pakistan National Disaster Management Authority, and the UN's emergency response plan.

 

An additional $50 million has also been allocated for INITIAL RECOVERY EFFORTS to assist with REBUILDING communities impacted by the floods.

 

The U.S. also has provided civilian and military in-kind assistance in the form of halal meals, PRE-FABRICATED STEEL BRIDGES and other INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT, as well as AIR SUPPORT to and within Pakistan to transport goods and rescue people at an approximate value of $47 million.

 

* These aircraft have evacuated more than 13,000 people and delivered 5.4 million pounds of relief supplies. We are also expanding pre-existing programs in flood-affected areas.

 

American business and private citizens are also making generous contributions to assist the people of Pakistan.

 

 

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

 

The United States has committed $21 million to provide seed and fertilizer to flood-affected farmers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The money will help ensure there's a viable crop of rabi wheat this winter and prevent future food insecurity. $16 million of the funds for the program will be provided by the Kerry-Lugar-Berman Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act. An additional $5 million will come from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The program will be implemented by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and will provide wheat seed, vegetable seed and fertilizer packages to help approximately 1.7 million people in 12 districts, particularly female-headed households, female farmers, and households with children under five years old.

 

The United States announced today that it is providing $5 MILLION to FIGHT MALARIA in flood-affected regions of Pakistan. The U.S., in partnership with Pakistan's Ministry of Health, is providing the money to the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) for use in its anti-malaria programs. The funds will be used to preposition rapid testing kits and anti-malarial medications. It will also go towards educational programs designed to teach at-risk communities the early warning signs of a malaria outbreak.

 

On September 13 and 14, the U.S. Air force transported 55,600 pounds of assistance from Sukkur to Jacobabad and 40,000 pounds of WFP humanitarian assistance from Sukkur to Jacobabad as well as 70,000 pounds of humanitarian relief supplies from Sialkot to Quetta and Chaklala to Skardu. The U.S. Marine Corps transported 14,190 pounds of supplies from Chaklala to Gilgit and 29,700 pounds of supplies to areas west of Sukkur. The U.S. Army delivered 64,152 pounds of supplies to the Upper Swat Valley and Kohistan and evacuated 58 internally displaced persons.

 

 

SELECTED U.S. CONTRIBUTIONS TO DATE:

 

In total, the U.S. has provided 13 mobile water treatment units that each produce enough clean water for 60,000 people a day; twelve 20,000-liter water bladders for the storage of clean water; 170,900 10-liter water containers; 15 million water purification tablets (sufficient to chlorinate 150 million liters of water); 58 Zodiac inflatable rescue boats; 96 concrete saws and saw blades; 236,980 blankets; and 6,663 rolls of plastic sheeting for the construction of temporary shelters. These relief supplies brought in from USAID warehouses in Dubai, Italy, and the United States are in addition to the supplies purchased locally by partners that are providing to those in need.

 

From September 1-13, WFP and partners reached approximately 1.2 million people with nearly 15,800 metric tons of food. Since August 1, WFP and partners have reached nearly 3 million people in 50 districts in 6 provinces with nearly 50,000 metric tons of food. The U.S. has provided $51.5 million in food assistance to date.

 

By September 14, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which the United States is supporting through the State Department, had assisted more than 928,000 flood-affected people across Pakistan.

 

 

PRIVATE SECTOR RESPONSE:

 

To date, the private sector has donated approximately $10.5 million in contributions to flood relief efforts. Private sector entities that have contributed include: 3M, Abbott, Agility Logistics, Al-Bario Engineering, Alcatel-Lucent Foundation, Amgen, AT&T, Bank of America, BASF, Bayer, Becton Dickinson, BHP Billiton Petroleum, BMO Financial Group, BMW Group, Boeing, BP, Cargill, Caterpillar, Chevron, Cisco, Citi, Coca-Cola, Cummins, Inc, DHL, The Dow Chemical Co., DTAC Thailand, DuPont, DynCorp International, EMC, Environment Consultancies & Options, Equate Petrochemical, Expedia, Inc., ExxonMobil, Feros Sons Laboratories, GE, General Mills, GlaxoSmithKline, Google, James Hardie, Hadayat Sons, Harris Financial Corporation, Honda Motor Co., ICI Pakistan, Infineon Technologies, ITT Corporation, JCB, Johnson & Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, Kabani & Company, KAPCO, Kraft Foods, Levi Strauss, LG Electronics, MDS Foods, Medtronic, Microsoft, MoneyGram International, Monsanto, Motorola, NetSol Technologies, Inc., Novo Nordisk, Orascom Telecom, Pakistan Telecommunication Company LTD., PepsiCo, Pfizer, Primatics Financial, Procter & Gamble, Rogers Communications, Royal Bank of Canada, Royal Dutch Shell, Henry Schein, Inc., Sheraton, Siemens, Silver Star Enterprises, Staples, Inc., Tethyan Copper Company, Toshiba Group, Toyota, Tpad, UPS, Verizon, Visa, Western Union, and Wackenhut Pakistan.

 

People in Pakistan are invited to share information and updates by SMS texting the word FLOODS to 7111. People using the country's active Humari Awaz ("Our Voice") cell phone network are able to update each other about the latest flood news, valuable NGO grant and business opportunities and to make new announcements of support by SMS texting the word FLOODS to 7111. The Humari Awaz social network was launched by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at Government College Lahore during her visit to Pakistan in October 2009. Since the launch, the network's subscribers collectively have sent over 350 million messages. To learn how to use Humari Awaz mobile users need only SMS the words "HELP" or "MADAD" to 7111.

 

*The in-kind figure is not included in the calculation of the current USG total. It is an estimate of costs to date. The amount will be adjusted as additional information becomes available.

[nancyk58]

NEWS ON 22 SEPTEMBER 2010 IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

 

 

Swedish SVT: MANY DEAD DUE TO INTENSIVE RAIN AND FLOODS IN MEXICO

 

Once again bad weather swept over MEXICO and caused DEVASTATION.

 

The TROPICAL STORM "GEORGETTE" made it necessary to EVACUATE 1,000 HOUSEHOLDS.

 

HURRICANE "KARL" hit the state of VERACRUZ yesterday and KILLED AT LEAST 22 PEOPLE, but just as many people are missing, so the death toll may rise.

 

Rescue teams are searching through hundreds of villages and towns that "drowned" due to the INTENSIVE RAIN and FLOODS.

 

AT LEAST 8 DIED IN LANDSLIDES.

[nancyk58]

News in relation to natural disasters on 23 September 2010

 

News in relation to natural disasters on 23 September 2010

 

German ARD text: INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DEATHS IN CHINA AFTER TYPHOON – DEATH TOLL RISEN TO 54

 

The DEATH TOLL after the so far worst TYPHOON in 2010 in CHINA has RISEN TO 54. More than 30 are still missing according to the authorities.

 

The TYPHOON “FANAPI” swept over the area on Tuesday with HEAVY RAIN.

 

The PROVINCE GUANGDONG was in particular hard hit.

 

More than 1,1 MILLION are AFFECTED, and around 89,000 had to be brought to safer places.

 

According to the latest news, almost 3,700 houses were destroyed and more than 7,000 damaged.

[nancyk58]

News in relation to natural disasters on 24 September 2010

 

News in relation to natural disasters on 24 September 2010

The HURRICANE MATTHEW that formed itself in the Caribbean Sea is expected to gain strength to a hurricane and sweep across CENTRAL AMERICA today, Friday local time according to the US Hurricane Center and to make LANDFALL in NICARAGUA and HONDURAS.

[nancyk58]

News on 24 + 25 September 2010 in relation to natural disasters

 

NEWS ON 24 + 25 SEPTEMBER 2010 IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

 

DR1 TTV on 24.9.10: 2 MILLION DISPLACED BY FLOODS IN NIGERIA's JIGAWA STATE

 

The authorities opened the floodgates on two dams out of fear that the dams would collapse after heavy rain. More than 5,000 villages are affected by floods. 2 MILLIONS HAVE BECOME HOMELESS.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11409167 / 24 September 2010 Last updated at 20:34 GMT

 

NORTHERN NIGERIA FLOODING 'DISPLACES TWO MILLION'

 

About two million people in northern Nigeria have been displaced after authorities opened the floodgates on two dams, an official says.

 

The flooding began suddenly when the gates on the Challawa and Tiga dams were opened, a spokesman for the Jigawa governor said.

 

The dams are in KANO STATE, but about 5,000 villages in neighbouring JIGAWA STATE have been affected, he added.

 

Several states in northern Nigeria have been hit by FLOODS this year.

 

It is not yet clear whether residents received a warning or if anyone was injured or went missing in the flooding, reported the Associated Press news agency.

 

The floodgates are normally opened every year during the rainy season.

 

Nigeria's meteorological agency had previously forecast LOW RAINFALL in the NORTH, warning that more than 12 MILLION people could face FOOD SHORTAGES as a result, according to the AFP news agency.

 

In a normal year, the water released from the dams flows into fields, irrigating crops of corn, rice and vegetables during the brief growing season.

JIGAWA and KANO are part of the SAHEL REGION, a belt of semi-arid land south of the Sahara desert.

 

In NEIGHBOURING NIGER, MILLIONS are facing FOOD SHORTAGES after a prolonged drought caused crops to fail. That was followed by SEVERE FLOODING last month. Millions are now facing FOOD SHORTAGES.

 

 

German ZDFtext and ARDtext on 25.9.10: 2 MILLION DISPLACED BY FLOODS IN NORTH NIGERIA

 

After opening the floodgates on two dams in NIGERIA, 2 MILLION people in NORTH NIGERIA have been forced to leave their homes due to FLOODS. The people sought refuge in schools in higher-lying areas according to a spokesman for the government. Numerous houses were washed away and the stock of cows drowned.

 

A spokesman for Nigeria's JIGAWA state said that the inhabitants of more than 5,000 villages were affected. The water masses had flooded 90,000 hectares of agricultural land. The damage resulting from destroyed food and dead cows amounts to around 22 million Euro.

 

The authorities had decreed the opening of the floodgates on two dams after heavy rain. "The dams were opened almost every year after heavy rain. But this year, it was really very bad", the spokesman said.

----------------------------

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11412051 / 25 September 2010 Last updated at 14:37 GMT

 

UN SAYS PAKISTAN's SINDH STILL HIT BY FLOODS

 

A UN agency says SEVERE FLOODING is CONTINUING in parts of PAKISTAN's SOUTHERN SINDH PROVINCE.

 

The Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says many families are still marooned on small islands with their livestock.

 

Despite the conditions, many displaced families across Pakistan are returning to their villages, OCHA says.

 

MORE THAN 20 MILLION PEOPLE have been AFFECTED by the floods triggered by heavy monsoons which began in July.

 

About 1.9 million houses have been destroyed or damaged.

 

In its latest report, the OCHA says that as many people return to their villages, there are CONCERNS over whether they can be supplied with ENOUGH FOOD and AID before winter begins.

 

There is also "increased concern" over the spread of MALARIA, with more than 163,000 suspected cases being reported in the past three weeks.

 

The OCHA says RESCUE OPERATIONS are continuing in the JAMSHORO and DADU DISTRICTS of SINDH, where vast areas are still submerged.

 

Aerial surveys show the monsoon floodwaters have created a large number of small islands, on which people are trapped with their livestock.

 

The OCHA says FLOODWATERS further SOUTH IN THATTA DISTRICT are taking longer than expected to recede.

 

Meanwhile in PUNJAB PROVINCE, more residents are returning, OCHA says, putting pressure on aid agencies to support them before winter sets in.

 

On a positive note, the OCHA says the international response to its aid appeal for Pakistan has been "encouraging".

 

It says 31% of the $2bn (£1.3bn) REQUIRED for PAKISTAN has now been PROVIDED.

-----------------------------------

 

Swedish SVT on 25.9.10: HURRICANE CAUSED DESTRUCTION AND KILLED 7 IN CARACAS, VENEZUELA

 

CLOUDBURSTS and WINDS from HURRICANE "MATTHEW" hit VENEZUELA's capital CARACAS late Friday.

 

At least 7 were KILLED by FLOODS in the huge city of CARACAS in the slum area Santa Ana de Aritimano.

 

The authorities tried to evacuate those living in the worst affected area, according to the chief fire officer / fire chief Williams Martinez.

 

HEAVY RAIN caused MUDSLIDES in several areas in the northern parts of VENEZUELA.

-----------------------------------

Danish DR1: AT LEAST 5 KILLED IN REFUGEE CAMPS IN HAITI BY STORMY WEATHER

 

At least 5 people were killed in the refugee camps established after the devastating earthquake in HAITI in January 2010. Capital PORT-AU-PRINCE was directly hit by the bad weather. The winds were so strong that house roofs blew off and trees were uprooted and electricity poles were destroyed.

 

Winds destroyed and damaged many tents in the refugee camps on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. Several hundreds are ready to be evacuated.

 

Swedish SVT: EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS IN HAITI - BEING WITHOUT PROTECTION - HIT BY BAD WEATHER: 5 DIED

 

8 months after the devastating earthquake in HAITI, ten thousands of Haitians are still living in simple tents - not adequately protected against bad weather. A STORM swept (over) Port-au-Prince and COST 5 HUMAN LIVES.

 

At a big tent camp at a large square outside the presidential palace that was ravaged in the quake ANGRY PROTESTS AGAINST THE AUTHORITIES BROKE OUT. An official: "We could not enter that camp to assess the damage. People are angry."

 

This storm is not the same as the storms ravaging in the ATLANTIC and CENTRAL AMERICA.

 

 

http://www.care2.com/news/member/510010530/2431027

 

FLOODING HITS THE UPPER MIDWEST (IN THE USA)

 

By Chris Dolce, Meteorologist (24.9.10)

 

 

FLASH FLOODS Thursday put towns underwater and forced MASS EVACUATIONS in MINNESOTA and WISCONSIN. Though most of the rain has stopped, the flooding may take several days to recede.

 

The town of Owatonna, Minn., located along I-35 south of Minneapolis, had to evacuate homes along Maple Creek.

 

Across the border in Arcadia, Wis., the mayor declared a state of emergency with roads in and out of town closed off. Up to 1500 of the town's residents had been ordered to evacuate.

 

Mudslides were reported just to the northwest of Arcadia in Waumandee.In Truman, Minn., some basements were flooded with 4 to 5 feet of water.

 

A strong frontal system, tapping copious amounts of moisture, caused the heavy rain and flash flooding in the Upper Midwest.

 

Locally over 10 inches doused SOUTHERN MINNESOTA Wednesday into Thursday. It was a record 2-day rain event in Amboy, MN (10.68"), Waseca, MN (7.65"), and Springfield, MN (5.47"). Thursday was also the wettest day on record in Waseca, MN (5.16") and Worthington, MN (5.61").

 

There have been numerous reports of FLOODED and CLOSED ROADS in MINNESOTA and WISCONSIN. The flooding southeast of the Twin Cities had gotten so bad on Thursday afternoon that the Minnesota Department of Transportation was laboring to find passable detours around submerged parts of Highway 52, a key link to Rochester, department spokeswoman Jessica Wiens said.

 

Streams and rivers are running high from the heavy rains, causing evacuations in Black River Falls, Wis. where the Black River rose to near-record levels. Near-record flooding has also occurred on the Zumbro River at Zumbro Falls, Minn., forcing the town to evacuate. The Middle Fork Zumbro River in Pine Island, Minn. has risen into major flood.

 

Record flooding has already occurred along Pipestone Creek at Pipestone, MN, and along the Yellow River near Babcock, WI.

 

River flooding was expected to continue at least through the weekend across the region.

 

The flood producing frontal system will be long gone by this weekend.

 

However, on Saturday an upper disturbance will dive southward bringing showers back into the forecast. These rains will likely be lighter and more transient in nature which should result in no major problems.

[nancyk58]

News on 26.9.10 in relation to natural disasters

 

News on 26 September 2010 in relation to natural disasters

 

Danish DR1 TTV, TV2 News + Swedish SVT: 14 DEAD AFTER HURRICANE "MATTHEW"

 

At least 14 DIED due to LANDSLIDES and FLOODING caused by the tropical STORM "MATTHEW" ravaging in CENTRAL AMERICA.

 

The bad weather moved from the CARIBBEAN to NICARAGUA where thousands had to be evacuated.

 

The bad weather continued to HONDURAS accompanied by HEAVY RAIN before it weakened over BELIZE, and according to the US hurricane warning service it will disintegrate within the next few days.

 

CENTRAL AMERICA has already been hit by the WORST STORMY and RAINY SEASON FOR 60 YEARS.

 

FLOODINGS and LANDSLIDES have COST more than 300 HUMAN LIVES and TEN THOUSANDS have become HOMELESS.

[nancyk58]

News on 27 September 2010 in relation to natural disasters

 

News on 27 September 2010 in relation to natural disasters

 

Danish Text-TV: POWERFUL MAGNITUDE-6.1 EARTHQUAKE IN IRAN

 

The earthquake occurred in a mountainous region in southern Iran according to the seismological centre.

 

The epicentre of the quake was in the thinly populated region Konar Takhtek about 900 km south-west of Teheran. No reports of injured.

 

According to the US Geological Survey the magnitude of the earthquake was 5.7.

 

In 2003, a magnitude-6.6 earthquake had destroyed the historical city of BAM. The earthquake cost 26,000 human lives.

[nancyk58]

News in relation to natural disasters on 28 + 29 September 2010

 

News on 28/29 September 2010 in relation to natural disasters

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11429439 / 29 September 2010 Last updated at 01:57 GMT

 

LANDSLIDE ENGULFS TOWN IN SOUTHERN MEXICO

 

A landslide triggered by heavy rain has hit a town in southern Mexico, engulfing a number of houses, officials say.

 

They say it appears that the damage in Santa Maria Tlahitoltepec, Oaxaca state, was less serious than originally feared.

 

The state governor said 11 PEOPLE were MISSING and there were NO

CONFIRMED DEATHS.

 

Initial reports said seven people died and about 100 others were missing.

 

"So far no-one is confirmed dead. Eleven are missing," Oaxaca Governor Ulises Ruiz told the Associated Press. "We hope that this type of information will continue and they (the missing) will be found."

 

He earlier said that the first rescuers to arrive in the town had said the number of houses and people affected may also be lower than previously reported.

 

Initial reports suggested that some 300 homes had been buried, with as many as 600 people sleeping inside.

 

Army spokesman Lt Col Francisco Enriquez Rojas told the BBC that 150 troops had now reached Santa Maria Tlahuitoltepec "after an arduous trip since the roads are destroyed".

 

The municipal secretary of Santa Maria Tlahuitoltepec, Cipriano Gomez, told the BBC that the town was in a state of chaos.

 

"There is no electricity, it is still raining heavily," he said.

 

Mr Gomez said that the authorities had decided to evacuate the town of 9,000 because there was a RISK OF FURTHER LANDSLIDES.

 

A helicopter sent to help had not been able to land due to thick fog in the area, he added.

 

Specialists sent

 

The landslide hit the town at 0400 local time (0900 GMT) on Tuesday, when most of the residents were sleeping.

 

Paramedics, police, soldiers and marines from at least four states have been mobilised, and many are being flown to the area with rescue dogs and heavy machinery, Red Cross officials said.

 

Specialists in rescuing people from collapsed buildings are also being sent.

 

President Felipe Calderon said in a message on his Twitter account that there was a lot of damage, but "perhaps not of the magnitude initially reported".

 

"We are very saddened by this tragedy, very sad but very determined to do everything in God's power to save the victims who are alive in this landslide and to help the people of Santa Maria," he told reporters.

 

Situated in the Sierra Juarez mountain range, about 80km (50 miles) east of Oaxaca city, SANTA MARIA TLAHUITOLTEPEC is famous for its colonial buildings and archaeological sites.

 

The BBC's Julian Miglierini in Mexico City says the area is the heartland of the indigenous Mixe culture and is considered one of Mexico's poorest.

 

TROPICAL STORM MATTHEW had caused HEAVY RAINFALL in the mountains over the weekend, officials said.

 

Parts of Mexico, including Oaxaca, have endured their WORST RAINY SEASON ON RECORD, which has TRIGGERED HEAVY FLOODING and MUDSLIDES which have KILLED AT LEAST 15 PEOPLE and forced thousands from their homes.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11433599 article, short:

 

MEXICO MUDSLIDE TOLL SCALED BACK

 

A mudslide in a remote mountainous region of Mexico proves less disastrous than first feared as officials say 11 people rather than hundreds are missing.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11433599 / 29 September 2010 Last updated at 07:39 GMT

 

MEXICO MUDSLIDE: FEWER MISSING THAN FIRST FEARED

 

Mexican officials have dramatically scaled back the number of people believed buried by a landslide in a remote southern town.

 

After rescuers reached Santa Maria Tlahitoltepec in Oaxaca, officials said 11 PEOPLE were MISSING.

 

Local authorities originally said a collapsed hillside had engulfed hundreds of houses, raising fears of many deaths.

 

The region has seen WEEKS OF HEAVY RAIN, and MUDSLIDES remain A RISK.

 

The news first emerging from Santa Maria Tlahitoltepec on Tuesday prompted authorities to despatch hundreds of soldiers, police and firefighters to the region.

 

Reports suggested the number of victims could be as high as 1,000.

 

But when rescue teams managed to get to the town, high in the Sierra Juarez mountain range, they discovered only several homes appeared to have been destroyed.

 

Speaking in Oaxaca City, the state governor, Ulises Ruiz, said 11 people were missing - eight children and three adults.

 

A local official in the town, Cipriano Gomez, told the BBC that the town was in a state of chaos.

 

"There is no electricity, it is still raining heavily," he said.

 

Mr Gomez said that the authorities had decided to evacuate the town of 9,000 because there was a risk of further landslides.

 

The landslide hit the town at 0400 local time (0900 GMT) on Tuesday, when most of the residents were sleeping.

 

Santa Maria Tlahuitoltepec is famous for its colonial buildings and archaeological sites.

 

The BBC's Julian Miglierini in Mexico City says the area is the heartland of the indigenous Mixe culture and is considered one of Mexico's poorest.

 

Parts of Mexico, including Oaxaca, have endured their WORST RAINY SEASON ON RECORD, which has TRIGGERED HEAVY FLOODING and MUDSLIDES which have KILLED AT LEAST 15 PEOPLE and forced thousands from their homes.

 

Text-TV in Sweden (SVT), Germany (ZDFtext) have also written about this.

----------------------

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11431560 /

28 September 2010 Last updated at 22:11 GMT

 

LANDSLIDES BURIES 20 IN COLOMBIA

 

At least 20 people have been buried by a landslide in northwest Colombia, government officials say.

 

Most of the victims were bus passengers who were walking across a section of road blocked by a previous landslide when a mountainside collapsed on top of them [added later: in the Antioquia province on Monday].

 

Local houses where some took shelter were also swept away.

 

Rescuers say there is little hope of finding survivors, as people are buried under many tons of rock and mud.

 

The disaster triggered by heavy rain happened near Giraldo, 80km (50 miles) north of the city of Medellin.

 

"It was horrible because we heard a rumbling and looked out to see people running to the houses and then they were also swallowed by the earth," local resident Milena Ramirez told the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo.

 

Warnings 'ignored'

 

Red Cross sniffer dogs have identified locations where the victims are buried, but officials say it will take several days to dig them out.

 

The rescue effort has also been hampered by the risk of further landslides.

 

President Juan Manuel Santos, who visited the scene, said people had ignored warnings to stay away from the site of the previous landslide.

 

"Sadly, the people who were moving from one bus to another did not pay attention to the authorities," he said. "We are doing everything we can to find them."

 

Mr Santos said Colombians should prepare for "a very tough winter".

 

Weeks of heavy rain across the country have caused FLOODS and LANDSLIDES that have KILLED MORE THAN 70 PEOPLE.

 

 

Update on 29.9.10 at 4:17am GMT: LANDSLIDE BURIES 30 IN COLOMBIA

 

Rescuers in Colombia say there is little chance of finding survivors after a massive landslide that buried as many as 30 people.

 

Search and rescue efforts have now been suspended for the night, as people are buried under many tons of rock and mud.

 

"Tonight we've suspended the search for victims. Despite the huge effort, our work has gone unrewarded due to the enormous amount of earth that has fallen," Antioquia's Disaster Prevention and Assistance System chief John Rendon told the AFP news agency late on Tuesday.

 

The disaster triggered by heavy rain happened near Giraldo, 80km (50 miles) north of the city of Medellin.

 

German ARDtext also mentioned the landslide in COLOMBIA

---------------------------

 

German ZDFtext: WARNING OF HIGH WATER IN SAXONY (28.9.10)

 

After several days of heavy rain in Saxony (in the counties of Goerlitz and Meissen), a flood alert warning was issued.

 

The water level of rivers is also high in POLAND.

 

According to the disaster management of Goerlitz the situation is tense, but the dikes are able to hold the water out. The weather service forecasts that the rain will decrease.

 

 

German ZDFtext 29.9.10: HIGH WATER LEVEL IN BRANDENBURG CONTINUES TO RISE / BRANDENBURG EXPECTS EVACUATIONS

 

The situation in southern Brandenburg has become worse, and Brandenburg prepares for evacuations of the central parts of cities ELSTERWERDA and BAD LIEBENWERDA. According to the police, the disaster management is discussing the details.

 

In BAD LIEBENWERDA, the water level has passed the mark for HIGHEST ALERT 4 by 30cm !! According to the State Environmental Agency, Brandenburg, the situation is getting worse as the dikes are partly overflowed.

 

 

HIGH WATER LEVEL EXPECTED BY RIVER NEISSE

 

While the situation has become BETTER IN SAXONY, the water level continues to rise in BRANDENBURG.

 

By river NEISSE, the high water peak coming from Saxony, is expected Wednesday evening. Then ALARM LEVEL 4 is expected to be A REALITY.

 

The water level of SPREE is currently only 1 cm below ALARM LEVEL 4.

 

Cottbus and Berlin are out of danger according to Matthias Freude, who is the President of Brandenburg’s State Office for the Environment, Health and Consumer Protection.

---------------------------

 

German ZDFtext (28.9.10): 54 DIED AS A RESULT AF HEAVY RAINS IN NICARAGUA

 

54 are dead and 5,000 homeless. Streets/roads and bridges are destroyed – all this is a result of HEAVY RAIN for the last few days in NICARAGUA in CENTRAL AMERICA. According to the authorities, 8,000 houses were flooded.

 

In particular the northern, north-western and western provinces are affected by the rain which was TRIGGERED BY THE TROPICAL STORM “MATTHEW”.

 

In NICARAGUA’S CAPITAL, MANAGUA, the RISING WATER LEVEL OF the LAKE MANAGUA threatens thousands of poor people.

 

The rainy season does not end until November.

[nancyk58]

News on 29.9.10 in relation to natural disasters, post II (II)

 

News on 29.9.10 in relation to natural disasters, post II (II)

 

 

German ZDFtext + ARDtext: VOLUNTARY EVACUATION IN BRANDENBURG, GERMANY

 

The flood situation in Brandenburg has become worse: For ELBE-ELSTER COUNTY, a FLOOD ALERT WARNING has been issued.

 

The water level in the small river BLACK ELSTER has swelled to 3,50m where the half is normal.

 

According to the disaster management 2,500 INHABITANTS from ELSTERWERDA are to be EVACUATED on a VOLUNTARY basis. Some dyke sections are flooded near ELSTERWERDA according to the State Environmental Agency, Brandenburg.

 

Emergency shelters have been established for those who could not stay with relatives or friends.

 

While Brandenburg had problems with the water masses, the people in vast parts of SAXONY could breathe a sign of RELIEF.

 

In BAD LIEBENWERDA the situation is just as serious. The HIGHEST ALARM LEVEL is in force by Spree in Spremberg where the population prepares for EVACUATION.

 

 

Danish DR1 TTV: A MAGNITUDE-7.2 EARTHQUAKE HITS OFF INDONESIA

 

An earthquake measured at 7.2 on the Richter scale hit off INDONESIA only one minute after ANOTHER MAGNITUDE-6.6 EARTHQUAKE SHOOK THE AREA A FEW KM AWAY according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

 

The powerful earthquake was not very deep - 12.3km. The epicentre was a bit more than 100 km from DOBO in ARU - a group of islands off West Papua.

 

There is no report of any devastation. According to the Tsunami Warning Centre in the Pacific there is no risk of a tsunami spreading to other areas of the Pacific.

[nancyk58]

News on 30.9.10 in relation to natural disasters

 

News on 30 September 2010 in relation to natural disasters

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11440757 / September 2010 Last updated at 00:54 GMT

 

FRESH MEXICO LANDSLIDE 'KILLS 12 PEOPLE' IN CHIAPAS

 

A NEW LANDSLIDE in SOUTHERN MEXICO has KILLED at least 12 PEOPLE, local officials say.

 

A hill was reported to have collapsed after a torrential rain in the town of AMATAN, in the state of Chiapas.

 

In a Twitter message, Mexican President Felipe Calderon said the government was sending rescue teams to the scene.

 

ELEVEN PEOPLE are STILL MISSING IN the neighbouring state of OAXACA, where a landslide buried several houses on Tuesday.

 

Local authorities originally said a collapsed hillside had engulfed hundreds of houses in the town of Santa Maria Tlahuitoltepec, raising fears of many deaths.

 

But they later dramatically scaled back the number of people believed to be buried under tons of rock and mud.

 

CLIMATE WARNING

 

"Unfortunately, there was a new mudslide," President Calderon said via Twitter on Wednesday.

 

The governor [of Chiapas] informed me there were 12 deaths."

 

He added that rescue teams were on their way to help local people in Amatan - a largely indigenous town in Chiapas, one of Mexico's poorest states.

 

Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Calderon said that MEXICO's LATEST RASH OF STORMS and FLOODS HIGHLIGHTED THE URGENT NEED FOR A GLOBAL ACCORD on CUTTING GREENHOUSE GASES blamed for climate change.

 

"For us, it is absolutely CLEAR THAT GLOBAL WARMING EXISTS," the AFP news agency reported him saying at an ENERGY FORUM IN MEXICO.

 

The president added that world leaders needed only "go see some families in Mexico who have lost everything, or parts of their homes" to natural disasters.

 

Mr Calderon was speaking ahead of UN CLIMATE TALKS IN CANCUN, EASTERN MEXICO, in NOVEMBER.

 

Parts of Mexico have endured their WORST RAINY SEASON ON RECORD, with HEAVY FLOODING and MUDSLIDES forcing thousands of people from their homes.

 

 

German ARDtext, Swedish SVT + Danish TV2 News and DR1 TTV: AT LEAST 16 DIED IN FRESH MEXICAN LANDSLIDE

 

The 16 were killed in REFORMA near the town of Amatan in the state of CHIAPAS in southern Mexico, says a Mexican official.

 

“16 are dead, and their bodies have been recovered – 8 children and 8 adults”, says Guillermo Castellanos, Chiapas’ head of public works. Additional 8 are missing after the incidents in CHIAPAS. According to the authorities 3 babies and 5 children are among those missing.

 

On TUESDAY morning in the neighbouring state of OAXACA, a HUGE MUDSLIDE hit a town when a hillside collapsed. 2 DEAD BODIES were recovered here.

 

The authorities had initially expected up to 1,000 victims. Rescue teams are still looking for missing people.

-----------------------------------------------------------

 

German ZDFtext: EVACUATION AFTER DYKE BREACH BY RIVER “BLACK ELSTER”

 

After the dyke breach by Black Elster in Wittenberg County in Sachsen-Anhalt, Wittenberg County has issued a FLOOD ALERT WARNING. Affected is an area on both sides of the river from Sachsen-Anhalt’s border to Brandenburg to the area around the town of Jessen.

 

Around 200 inhabitants of towns Meuselko and Loben must be evacuated to higher ground, and the evacuations have started.

 

 

German ARDtext: THE FLOOD SITUATION REMAINS CRITICAL IN BRANDENBURG, AND A FLOOD ALERT WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED

 

Threatened dike sections are being reinforced by up to hundred helpers.

 

The water level of Black Elster remains around 3.50m for the towns of Elsterwerda and Bad Liebenwerda.

 

The highest level of alert is also in force by Spree in Spremberg. The inhabitants are preparing for evacuation.

[nancyk58]

News in relation to natural disasters on 1 October 2010

 

NEWS ON 1 OCTOBER 2010 IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11448690 / 30 September 2010 Last updated at 19:17 GMT

 

DEATH TOLL RISES FROM TROPICAL STORM NICOLE IN JAMAICA - 5 DEAD

 

The DEATH TOLL from Tropical Storm NICOLE in Jamaica has risen to FIVE following FLASH FLOODS and MUDSLIDES triggered by the storm, officials say.

 

At least SEVEN others are MISSING, swept away by floodwaters, Jamaica's disaster management office said.

 

The latest victims include two men who died when a house in Kingston collapsed in a slide triggered by heavy rain on saturated ground.

 

Nicole broke apart over the Atlantic late on Wednesday afternoon.

 

WASHED AWAY

 

But intermittent rains increased the RISK of additional landslides across the island.

 

Emergency workers were trying to locate at least seven missing people, most of whom were believed to have been washed away in slides that roared through Kingston shanty towns.

 

Schools and universities stayed closed for a second day, while about 30% of those served by Jamaica's utility company were without power, officials said.

 

Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who surveyed the damage by helicopter on Wednesday, said the recovery would "cost a significant amount of money".

 

NICOLE is the latest storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. The storm's remnants have now begun moving up the east coast of America.

 

The US National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, said there was a fair chance the weather system could develop into a tropical depression in the next couple of days, raising the possibility of coastal flooding.

---------------------

 

Latest news in relation to NIGER in Africa at the end of September

 

 

On 21 June 2010 I posted an article about FLOODS in NIGER.

 

Now I have skimmed a recent newspaper article about the situation in Niger:

 

 

The UN aids agencies / relief organizations do not have the means to feed needy populations.

 

In NIGER, UN has been forced to make this tough decision: Food can only be distributed to children under the age of 2 and their families!!

 

17% of the children under the age of 5 in Niger suffer from acute malnutrition. UN's limit for nutrition/nourishment crisis is 15%.

 

In some regions in Niger the number is higher. In DIFFA in the eastern part of Niger, 22% of the children under 5 are hit by acute malnutrition.

 

 

On Monday I expect to post more about the situation in NIGER including translations of some of the article later.

 

On SUNDAY I will participate in DANISH RED CROSS' annual collection. This year most of the money collected will go to Africa including NIGER, and some of it goes to flood-struck PAKISTAN.

---------------------------------

 

German ZDFtext: VILLAGES IN SACHSEN-ANHALT EVACUATED DUE TO FEAR OF FLOOD

 

In the flooded areas in Brandenburg and Sachsen-Anhalt, it is feared that the water masses will breach the dikes. The situation is not expected to be better before on Sunday.

 

In particular hit is Elbe-Elster County in South Brandenburg and the Wittenberg County in Sachsen-Anhalt. There some villages had to be evacuated.

 

The water level is falling a bit by Spree and Neisse. The flood crest on River Neisse flowed into Oder on the Polish border.

[nancyk58]

News on 2 October 2010 in relation to natural disasters

 

NEWS ON 2 OCTOBER 2010 IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

 

German ZDFtext: FLOOD SITUATION IN BRANDENBURG INTENSIFIED / WORSENED

 

The flood situation by BLACK ELSTER in BRANDENBURG has worsened. Despite slightly falling water levels the pressure on the dykes remains strong according to Brandenburg’s Ministry of the Interior. In the night between Friday and Saturday, helpers have reinforced the dykes’ weak spots with sandbags.

 

The FLOOD ALERT WARNING is still in force for ELBE-ELSTER County.

 

According to the Ministry of the Interior, the situation is less tense by Spree and Neisse.

 

 

German ARDtext: FLOOD SITUATION REMAINS SERIOUS / TENSE

 

The situation remains critical / serious in the flooded areas in BRANDENBURG and SACHSEN-ANHALT.

 

The FLOOD ALERT WARNING remains in force along the rivers Pulsnitz and BLACK ELSTER. The water levels are not expected to fall before Sunday, said a spokesman for Wittenberg County. According to the Flood Reporting Centre (Hochwassermeldezentrum) in Cottbus, it is too early to downgrade the flood alert warnings.

 

After a dyke breach by Black Elster, a farm had to be evacuated, a village was not accessible for some time.

[nancyk58]

Article in relation to NIGER in Danish newspaper on 26.9.10

 

NIGER article from Jyllands-Posten on 26.9.10

by Jonathan Bjerg Moeller - Jyllands-Posten's special correspondent / translated by Nancy Boysen

 

SAYAM, Niger

 

Death surrounds the little tent camp with nomads. Dead bodies of calves, sheep and goats are lying on the ground, rotting wherever you look. Despite of that, the families stay here, because the grass has started to grow. Here, their very lean animals might have a chance of survival. After a long period of DROUGHT , the RAINY SEASON has finally started, and the landscape has started to turn green in NIGER. But even though it rains, and even though the grass grows, the nomads' possibility of surviving is still threatened, because the many animals that are still alive are so weakened that many of them will hardly survive the coming weeks.

 

WEST AFRICA is facing a MASSIVE FOOD CRISIS. Last year's bad rainy season resulted in a failed harvest, high food prices and withered grazing grounds/pastures in the Sahel belt stretching along the southern part of the SAHARA desert. And it has left 10 MILLION people in need of food. The nomads in NIGER are particularly hard hit. But this disaster has not been mentioned much in the media even though relief agencies and UN have rung the alarm bells for a year. The media have focussed on the HAITI EARTHQUAKE and the PAKISTAN FLOODS. ate

 

A LIFE ON THE BRINK OF DISASTER

Baruma Lawalido, who lives in the little tent camp, lost 20 animals in the latest rainstorm. Many of his animals are so weak that they die just like that. "We try to keep the animals alive, but it is not easy". Several of his cows can hardly stand on their feet. Therefore, several times each day Baruma and the other family members must lift the heavy animals and force them to move. Sometimes it works, other times the animals collapse after few steps.

 

In NIGER the population lives on the brink of a threatening famine all the time, and each year a large part of the population is hit by a period of hunger / famine when they run out of the yield of last harvest and you must wait for the next harvest. But this year the situation is extraordinarily difficult and bad.

 

NIGER is among the poorest and most underdeveloped countries in the world and is last on UN's Human Development Index.

 

Niger consists mainly of a desert where the population lives at the mercy of nature. When the rain falls right, people can cultivate land and let their cattle graze in the tough desert environment. But sometimes the rain comes too late or is too heavy, and then it is very difficult for animals and the people.

 

AT FIRST THE NOMADS LOSE THEIR ANIMALS, THEN THEY LOSE THEIR MINDS

 

In the DIFFA region in the eastern part of Niger, the rain has failed for two years. Only nomads live here, and they have lost most of their animals. Some have lost everything. Without animals a nomad has got nothing. Relief workers are meeting people in the desolate desert areas who have initially lost their animals and then lost their minds.

 

"In the dried-up / arid grazing grounds, it occurs that some cattle breeders and herdsmen have become insane," says Amadaou Sayou who is West Africa Coordinator for the international development organisation CARE.

 

"For a nomad, the herd means everything. If he loses his animals, he loses his entire livelihood (=possibility of surviving). The peasants in South Niger have their land. With a good rainy season they can return relatively quickly. But if a nomad has lost all his animals, he has lost his identity, his cultural heritage and his possibility of supporting his family".

 

The food prices in Niger have been high since the global increases in the food price in 2008. They have hit many inhabitants of Niger very hard, but the nomads are those worst hit. With last year's poor harvest, the prices on food and animal feed have sky-rocketed, whereas the market prices for live animals are extremely low. The sale of one or two goats used to support a family of nomads for one month. Today it may cost up to 10 goats.

 

LIVING / SURVIVING ON BORROWED TIME

"Normally, people sell the small animal such as sheep and goats first," says American Peter Wright who works for Care Danmark in Niger.

"But all their animals are in bad shape. The animals cannot yield a good price on the market. Now, people have started selling their possessions such as pots and pans, and I have also heard of people who are selling their blankets in order to be able to buy food."

By selling some of their possessions, the nomads in Niger are surviving on borrowed time.

"It is a temporary and very bad solution," says Gianlucca Ferrera from UN's World Food Programme (WFP).

"They will be even poorer when the crisis is over. We are beginning to see that the progress we have made the latest years is about to be lost. When people sell some of their animals and possessions, it will leave the in an even extremer poverty."

 

 

Latest news in relation to NIGER in Africa at the end of September:

 

The UN aids agencies / relief organizations do not have the means to feed needy populations.

 

In NIGER, UN has been forced to make this tough decision: Food can only be distributed to children under the age of 2 and their families!!

 

17% of the children under the age of 5 in Niger suffer from acute malnutrition. UN's limit for nutrition / nourishment crisis is 15%.

 

In some regions in Niger the number is higher. In DIFFA in the eastern part of Niger, 22% of the children under 5 are hit by acute malnutrition.

 

 

TOMORROW, SUNDAY 3.10.10 I WILL PARTICIPATE IN DANISH RED CROSS's ANNUAL COLLECTION. TWO THIRDS OF THE MONEY COLLECTED GO TO AFRICA INCLUDING NIGER AND ONE THIRD GOES TO PAKISTAN.

[nancyk58]

News in relation to natural disasters on 3 October 2010

 

NEWS ON 3 OCTOBER 2010 IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

 

 

German ZDFtext: FLOOD CREST REACHES SACHSEN-ANHALT

 

The crest of the flood on BLACK ELSTER has reached WITTENBERG COUNTY in SACHSEN-ANHALT in the night between Saturday and Sunday.

 

“The situation remains tense/serious”, said a spokesman for the county. The FLOOD ALERT WARNING remains in force. The works on the dykes continued at break of day.

 

By SPREE and NEISSE, the situation is almost back to normal.

 

By river NEISSE, the water level has fallen below the level of flood alert warning 1 during the night, said a spokesman for the regional Ministry of the Interior.

 

 

German ARDtext: FLOOD SITUATION REMAINS SERIOUS / TENSE IN SOUTHERN BRANDENBURG AND SACHSEN-ANHALT

 

The situation remains tense / serious in parts of SOUTHERN BRANDENBURG and SACHSEN-ANHALT due to the Black Elster flood. The dykes by Elsterwerda, Bad Liebenwerda and Herzberg in BRANDENBURG remain under an enormous pressure according to the authorities. The highest FLOOD ALERT WARNING, i.e. LEVEL 4 remains in force for ELBE-ELSTER COUNTY.

 

The FLOOD ALERT WARNING remains in force in WITTENBERG COUNTY as well.