NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 19 MARCH, 2012

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/17436287

 

19 March 2012 Last updated at 20:28 GMT

 

Norway avalanche kills five foreign tourists

 

Five people have died after being caught in a major avalanche in northern Norway, local police say.

 

The casualties are reported to be four Swiss and one French citizen. A sixth man was pulled out and taken to hospital with "moderate injuries".

 

They were part of a larger group of skiers which apparently split into two groups before the avalanche.

 

Around 30 rescue workers, assisted by dogs and helicopters, were dispatched in the search and rescue operation.

 

The avalanche happened on Mt Sorbmegaisa in the north of Troms district, about 65km (40 miles) east of Tromso, on Monday afternoon.

 

The identities of the five victims have not been released.

 

The survivor, thought to be Swiss, was taken to a hospital in Tromso.

 

"It's a man. His injuries are moderate and his condition is stable," hospital spokesman Jan Fredrik Frantzen, told AFP news agency.

 

Police said rescuers had detected signals from the skiers' avalanche transceivers buried in the snow.

 

Troms police chief Tor-Einar Eilertsen said a medical helicopter had been despatched and the army had been asked to help.

 

In a later statement the police said around 30 people with sniffer dogs were helping in the rescue.

 

Avalanches are relatively common in Norway at this time of year, as higher spring temperatures start to warm and dislodge blocks of snow.

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 20 MARCH, 2012

 

 

15 MILLION THREATENED BY SHORTAGE OF FOOD

 

The United Nations estimates that more than 16 million people will be hit by food shortage in West Africa.

 

The food shortage has started to cost the lives of children in Tchad.

 

UNICEF is getting ready to treat more than 1 million children for serious malnourishment.

 

The aid agencies are working hard to avoid that the crisis gets much worse during the next couple of months and have asked the world community for support / donations.

 

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs aka. OCHA has received 218 million dollar, but has asked for more than 1 billion dollars.

Source: Norwegian text-TV (NRK)

[nancyk58]

MORE NEWS ON 20 MARCH, 2012

 

 

POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE - MAGNITUDE 7.6 ACCORDING TO USGS - IN MEXICO - SO FAR NO REPORTS OF MAJOR DAMAGE

 

A powerful earthquake has shaken the Pacific coast of Mexico - today Tuesday. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS) the quake had a magnitude of 7.6 and occurred in a depth of 18 km in the state of Guerrero about 190 km from Acapulco City.

 

In Mexico City buildings were swaying. Mobile connections were cut off, and traffic stopped.

 

The mayor of Mexico City, Marcelo Ebrard, wrote on Twitter that he had seen no damage in connection with a helicopter flight over the city.

 

Source: German text-TV / ZDFtext

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 21 MARCH, 2012

 

As mentioned yesterday: Powerful earthquake (magnitude 7.4) in Mexico yesterday, Tuesday 20.3.12.

 

The epicentre was in a depth of 25 km (15 miles) east of the town of Ometepec in the southern part of Mexico in Guerrero State and 186 km = 19 miles south-east / east of Acapulco.

 

At least 800 buildings, bridges and roads have collapsed near the epicentre in Guerrero State.

 

It turns out that 11 were injured - nobody is reported dead due to the quake. Of the 11 injured, 2 are seriously injured.

 

There have been at least 18 minor aftershocks of which one was magnitude 5.3. 1.600 houses along the coast have been damaged as a consequence of that.

 

Sources: Text-TV from Sweden (SVT), Germany (ZDFtext) and Denmark (DR1) + BBC World News ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17452834 )

 

 

NEW ZEALAND EXPERIENCES FLOODING AFTER RECORD RAINY WEATHER

 

New Zealand's region Northland experiences flooding caused by massive rain / cloudburst. The region has got the equivalent of 2 months of rain and that in just 2 days (namely the last 2 days). The eastern mountains over Kaeo has got 371 mm of rain. The rain has resulted in flooded / submerged roads, destroyed trees and power cuts. According to meteorologists the worst part of the cloudburst should be over.

 

Source: Danish free paper 24 Timer

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 25 AND 26 MARCH, 2012

 

On 25 March, 2012: German text-TV (ARDtext): EARTHQUAKE SHAKES NORTHWESTERN GREECE AND SOUTHERN ALBANIA

 

Sunday morning at almost 8 o'clock, an earthquake shook the Northwestern Greece and the southern part of Albania.

 

Thousands woke up due to the tremors. The quake occurred on the mainland coast at the Ionian Sea close to the port town of Igoumenitsa. According to the Geodynamic Institute in Athens, the quake was measured at magnitude 4.5.

 

Eye witnesses on the island of Korfu / Corfu told the news agency dpa that the quake felt strong. There are no reports of casualties or major damage.

 

 

On 25.3.12 German text-TV (ARDtext): 2 PEOPLE DEAD IN AN AVALANCHE IN SOUTHERN TIROL.

 

(ARDtext removed this page at its 10 o'clock update, so I have only the headline).

 

A MAGNITUDE 7.1 EARTHQUAKE HITS CENTRAL CHILE

 

A powerful earthquake hit the central part of Chile on Sunday on 25 March, 2012. Its magnitude was 7.1. Info from USA's Geological Survey (USGS).

 

Quakes over magnitude 7.0 may cause substantial damage, but so far there are no reports of deaths or substantial damage. There were some power cuts.

 

According to info given by vicepresident Rodrigo Hinzpeter several people were slightly injured.

 

The quake occurred well over 27 km northwest of the town TALCA, and the quake shook an area northwest of Talca. Its epicentre was 215 km south of the capital Santiago.

 

According to ONEMI - the authority for disaster preparedness / alert - the quake had magnitude 6.8 and shook several buildings in the capital, Santiago de Chile. It lasted around 1 minute.

 

Initially there was fear of a tsunami, but after an early alert the risk of a tsunami was ruled out.

 

Sources: Danish text-TV ( TV2 news) and German text-TV (ZDFtext and ARDtext)

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 30 MARCH, 2012

 

 

CHAOS ON FIJI ISLANDS CAUSED BY MASSIVE RAIN (Danish text-TV / DR1)

 

Rivers and streams overflew their banks, and houses and roads have been torn / washed away during massive rain on the Fiji Islands in the Pacific according to rescue crew.

 

Worst hit is the main island of Viti Levu where it has been raining cats and dogs for several consecutive days. According to the police, there are no reports of casualties, but the material damage is substantial.

 

The water levels in the rivers are higher on Friday than in connection with similar bad weather in January when 11 people died.

 

The town of Nadi where Fiji's international ariport is situated is cut off from the rest of the island because roads to and from the town have been destroyed.

[nancyk58]

From Danish paper Berlingske Tidende on 22 March, 2012:

 

FAMINE THREATENING NIGER IN AFRICA

 

According to several aid agencies, famine is not far away in Niger where many million people are threatened. According to peasants in Niger the harvestt is worse than the harvest after the drought in 2008 - 2010 which resulted in a humanitarian crises in the region.

 

Up to 90% of the peasants reort that they do not have food enough to make it until the next harvest in 5-6 months, and in partaicular small children are at risk of malnourishment because their mothers do not eat enough to produce milk.

 

The above is only some of the catastrophic facts appearing from a new examination of the humanitarian situation in the region around Niger.

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 31 MARCH, 2012

 

HAITI: 6 DEATHS AFTER LANDSLIDES

 

At least 6 people died in landslides. The houses of 2 families at a mountain near the capital Port-au-Prince were torn away by masses of mud. In this connecction 2 men, 3 women and a child were killed.

 

This accident follows days of heavy rain.

 

The poor Caribbean state is still suffering from the consequences of the devastating eartquake well over 2 years ago.

 

Around 500,000 people are living in tents and are threatened by flooding.

 

Source: German text-TV / ARDtext

[nancyk58]

News in relation to natural disasters on 3 April, 2012

 

 

Typhoon costs 5 human lives in Japan

 

Stormy weather and massive rain has so far cost 5 human lives.

 

Typhoon-like gusts of up to 162 km per hour resulted in chaos.

 

In addition to 5 deaths, 4 people have been reported missing.

 

In all of Japan a great part of the train systems is closed down - and rescuers have been called to assistance because of many overturned cars.

 

Up to 600 flights have been canceled.

 

 

Norwegian NRK: AT LEAST 4 DEAD IN MASSIVE STORM IN JAPAN

 

The northern parts of japan were hit by a massive storm Wednesday, and at least 4 people died.

 

All of the northern part of the main island, Honshu and the greater part of Hokkaido was hit by strong winds and massive rainy weather.

 

Among the 4 people who died was a 96-year-old man who fell down from a roof and a 28-year-old woman who was hit by a falling tree.

 

Hundreds of flights were cancelled, and the traffic was stuck on roads and railways according to NTB.

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 4 APRIL, 2012

 

AT LEAST 17 INJURED IN CONNECTION WITH 10 TORNADOES SOUTH OF DALLAS, TEXAS

 

More than 200 houses were damaged. Parked truck trailers were lifted by the tornadoes as if the trailers were light-weight toy.

 

Sources: Text-TV in Denmark (DR1 + TV2 News), Sweden (SVT Text) , Norway (NRK), Germany (ARDtext + ZDFtext).

 

 

8 DEAD IN LANDSLIDE IN NAIROBI SLUM IN KENYA

 

The landslide in which amounts of rocks hit and damaged at least 40 houses followed a night of heavy rain. Rescue teams are searching for people trapped under masses of rock according to Red Cross.

There is little hope of finding survivors.

 

Sources: Norwegian text-TV / NRK + Swedish SVT Text

[nancyk58]

SOLDIERS BURIED UNDER 25 M SNOW

 

124 Pakistani soldiers and 11 civilians - employed by the military - are expected to be buried in 25-m-deep snow masses according to state-run TV.

 

Saturday, an avalanche hit a military camp in Cashmir at the border to India.

 

The military has estimated the number of missing to 135 - there has been no sign of life after 17 hours of search.

 

The headquarters of this battalion has been at the same location for 20 years, and something like this has never happened before.

 

Source: Danish TV2 News

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17643625

 

8 April 2012 Last updated at 08:21 GMT

 

Pakistan resumes search for 135 buried by avalanche

 

The Pakistani military has resumed a search for more than 100 troops who have been buried by an avalanche in the disputed Kashmir region.

 

The avalanche hit a military camp near the Siachen glacier in the Karakoram branch of the Himalaya mountains.

 

In all 135 people - including 124 soldiers - are missing. The search was suspended overnight.

 

India and Pakistan both claim the area and have deployed thousands of troops.

 

Long rescue mission

 

The avalanche struck the base in the Gayari district at about 06:00 local time (01:00 GMT) on Saturday.

 

The soldiers are from the Northern Light Infantry regiment, trained in mountain operations, including avalanche rescue.

 

The military says helicopters, sniffer dogs and troops have been sent to the area to help with the rescue.

 

The BBC's Orla Guerin, in Islamabad, says the remote region is a particularly difficult place to launch a rescue mission, but improving weather conditions are expected to help the operation.

 

A Pakistani military spokesman, Maj Gen Athar Abbas, said the avalanche that hit the military camp had been "very massive" and it could take several days to complete the rescue operation, which was unprecedented in scale for such a location.

 

He said there had been no communication with any of the missing soldiers.

 

Although the region is prone to avalanches, the general said, they tend to occur in "forward bases" at higher altitude, where only 10 or 20 troops are located.

 

The numbers involved in this incident were so high, he said, because avalanches were not expected in the immediate area of the camp that was struck.

 

An avalanche killed 24 Pakistani troops in 2010 - this is believed to be the heaviest loss of life in a previous such incident until now.

 

Kashmir has been partitioned between India and Pakistan since 1947.

 

Failure to agree on the status of the territory by diplomatic means has twice brought India and Pakistan to war.

 

The Siachen glacier is known as the world's highest battlefield, and soldiers have been deployed at elevations of up to 6,700m (22,000 feet).

 

However, more soldiers have died from the harsh weather conditions there than in combat.

[nancyk58]

UNICEF FEARS IN RELATION TO THE CHILDREN IN THE SAHEL REGION IN AFRICA

 

1 million children are at risk of starving to death in the drought-stricken Sahel region in Africa.

 

About 15 million people are at risk of serious food shortage that might trigger an extensive, humanitarian crisis in the Sahel region in Africa.

 

Little rain, bad harvests and empty food stores hit the entire region.

 

This applies to the areas from MAURETANIA, through the northern SENEGAL, MALI, NIGER, BURKINA FASO and the northern NIGERIA to TCHAD.

 

Source: Norwegian text-TV NRK on 9.4.12

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 10 APRIL, 2012

 

 

AT LEAST 17 DIED DUE TO BAD WEATHER IN ARGENTINA

 

 

The Buenos Aires area has experienced bad weather that has cost at least 17 human lives.

 

The past Easter week-end's bad weather is the worst for 100 years according to sources within the government.

 

Strong winds - between storm and hurricane and from 25 to 36m per second - rain and hail damaged homes and businesses, overturned thousands of trees and electricity poles and overturned walls. 30,000 communities were without electricity / power late Monday.

 

Source: Swedish text-TV / SVT Text

[nancyk58]

UNITED NATIONS ASKS FOR HELP TO FIGHT FOOD CRISIS

 

3 UN organisations ask for funds to prevent a food crisis in the SAHEL region in Africa.

 

"Children are the victims. In the worst case, many children will die, many families will suffer", so says UNICEF's Anthony Lake.

 

UNICEF is behind the appeal together with the World Health Organization / WHO and UN's High Commissariat for Refugees / UNHCR.

 

Around 15 million people - among them 1.5 million children - may be affected by drought, high food prices and regional conflicts.

 

Source: Norwegian text-TV / NRK

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 11 AND 12 APRIL, 2012

 

On 11 April, 2012 there was a magnitude 8.6 earthquake followed by a 8.1 - 8.2 aftershock in the Indian Ocean off Sumatra.

 

Remembering what happened in December, 2004 when around 230,000 people died in connection with a gigantic tsunami there was fears of a gigantic tsunami.

But luckily, this time the quake & aftershock did not have such devastating impact, but resulted in 3 x 80 cm high tsunamis and some material damage - plus the loss of 5 human lives.

 

 

5 KILLED IN EARTHQUAKE IN ASIA (source: TV2 news - text-TV)

 

Yesterday's magnitude 8.6 earthquake generated fear of a gigantic tsunami like the devastating one in December 2004.

 

According to statements from INDONESIA, 5 have been reported killed.

 

"At least 2 people died of heart attach, one died of shock and a child was seriously injured in connection with a falling tree", says Sutopo Purwo Nugroho who is spokesman for an agency. He did not want to elaborate this further.

 

On 12 April 2012 I read in the Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende that the total death toll was 10 people.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17688048

 

12 April 2012 Last updated at 09:09 GMT

 

Mexico shaken by two earthquakes in 24 hours

 

A 6.9-magnitude earthquake has struck off Mexico's Pacific coast, the second to hit the area in the last 24 hours.

 

The quake struck in the Gulf of California, 127km (78 miles) northeast of the town of Guerrero Negro, in Baja California, the US Geological Survey said.

 

No immediate damage was reported, and no tsunami warning has been issued.

 

An earlier quake with a magnitude of 6.5 struck in the mountains of the western state of Michoacan.

 

That tremor, which took place eight hours earlier, caused buildings to sway as far away as Mexico City, some 200 miles (322 km) away, but there were no casualties reported.

 

"You could feel it, but there's no major damage. There are no reports, no emergency calls," Agustin Lule, a spokesman for the fire services in Uruapan, a town in Michoacan, said on Wednesday.

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 15 APRIL, 2012

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-17710248

 

15 April 2012 Last updated at 11:07 GMT

 

Tornadoes kill five in US Midwest

 

Tornadoes have hit a large swathe of the US Midwest, killing at least five people, officials say.

 

Twisters were reported in Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

 

The deaths occurred before dawn in the town of Woodward, in Oklahoma, after warning sirens failed to sound, officials said.

 

The National Weather Service had forecast further tornadoes early Sunday morning, with concern they could strike as people slept.

 

Officials feared people would not hear warnings as they slept and said that it was more difficult for weather spotters to track the funnel clouds overnight.

 

But it said the chance they would be very strong or long-lived was not as high as on Saturday evening.

 

'House shaking'

 

In Woodward in Oklahoma, a block of flats was also damaged by the twister, after residents were caught by surprise as the storm sirens had failed to sound, Reuters news agency quoted the local mayor as saying.

 

"This thing took us by surprise," Keli Cain, spokeswoman for Oklahoma Emergency Management, told the agency. "It's kind of overwhelming."

 

One tornado destroyed large parts of the town of Thurman, in Iowa, on Saturday, but there were no major injuries, the NWS said.

 

"It lasted three to four minutes probably - what seemed like an eternity," one man from Thurman told the broadcaster ABC.

 

"The next thing I know, the house was shaking and I could feel it lifting and it was over that quick," another man said.

 

Another tornado caused widespread power outages and other damage in the city of Wichita, Kansas, according to Associated Press.

 

The roof of a hospital in Creston, southwest of Des Moines, was damaged, but patients and staff were not hurt, AP reported.

 

Tornado experts had said that storms on Saturday could be a "life-threatening event".

 

US tornadoes have already killed at least 39 people in 2012.

 

An outbreak of deadly twisters hit the states of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia and Alabama in early March.

 

At the start of April the Dallas-Fort Worth area was badly hit, with hundreds of flights being disrupted but no-one injured or killed.

 

 

According to Swedish text-TV / SVT Text: 75% of the town of THURMAN with 250 inhabitants was destroyed by twister.

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 17 APRIL, 2012

 

 

POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE HAS HIT CHILE

 

A powerful earthquake with magnitude 6.5 on the Richter scale hit more than 45 km north-east of Valparaiso. The quake could also be felt in the capital Santiago.

 

The quake lasted for several minutes according to the newspaper El Mercurio.

 

The epicenter was at sea 48 km north-east off the resort island of Valparaiso.

 

The quake could be felt in several regions, and several buiildings were evacuated. There are reports of power failure in several areas. But no reports of casualties or material damage.

 

Source: Text-TV on Danish TV2 News

 

 

EARTHQUAKE SHAKES PAPUA NEW GUINEA

 

A powerful earthquake shook Papua New Guinea today / Tuesday 17.4.12. No ensuing tsunami is expected according to US Geological Survey (USGS).

 

The quake was measured at magnitude 7.0 on the Richter scale and struck around 140 km north of Lae - Papua New Guinea's second-largest town - at a depth of 200 km.

 

The country is situated east of Indonesia in a region with frequent earthquakes.

 

Source: Text-TV on Danish TV2 News

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 21 APRIL, 2012

 

INDONESIA SHAKEN BY 2 EARTHQUAKES

 

2 earthquakes shook Indonesia this morning (Saturday 21.4.12).

 

One earthquake off Indonesia's coast shook the eastern province of Papua. People ran out of homes and schools in panic according to the authorities.

 

This quake was measured at magnitude 6.6 according to US Geological Survey (USGS) and caused some damage to buildings in the eastern province of Papua.

 

The epicentre was 8 miles south-west of the town of Manokwari / 83 km off the coast of Papua at a depth of only 30 km.

 

A magnitude 6.1 quake struck off the island of Sumatra. No damage was caused by it.

 

According to the Indonesian authorities there was no risk of any tsunami, and there is no report of any deaths in relation to the quakes.

 

Sources: German text-TV /ARD Text + ZDF Text) + Swedish text-TV (SVT Text)

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 30 APRIL AND 1 MAY 2012

 

INDIA: More than 100 deaths following ferry accident in thunderstorm - 105 dead bodies have been recovered

 

The ferry was carrying too many people - 350 men, women and children were on board. The overcrowded ferry had broken into 2 pieces.

 

The accident occurred in NORTH-EAST INDIA in a THUNDER STORM.

 

Some passengers managed to swim away and reach the shore, others were rescued by others.

 

Rescuers recovered 105 dead bodies at the bank of river Brahmaputra, said the head of police in the Indian state of Assam. The area is situated around 350 km west of Assam's capital, Gauhati.

 

100 people remain missing.

 

STORM and HEAVY RAIN makes the rescue operation difficult.

 

Sources: German text-TV / ARDtext on 30.4.12 and ZDFtext (update on 1.5.12)

 

 

From BBC World News:

 

Search for India ferry survivors

 

Divers and rescue workers are looking for survivors on the Brahmaputra river in India's Assam state, where a ferry capsized, killing at least 103 people.

 

Lax safety standards mean ferry accidents are common on the river, but this is one of the worst disasters.

 

Police officials said it happened in the remote district of Dhubri, about 350km (215 miles) west of Assam's main city, Guwahati.

 

Some passengers were reported to have swum to safety while others were swept away by the strong current.

 

A passenger, Hasnat Ali, told local TV channels that about 200 people were travelling in the boat along with cargo.

 

Mr Ali said he was riding on the roof along with 150 other people when a storm hit the boat, throwing off many of those on the roof. He said he managed to hold on to a log and was later rescued by local villagers.

 

The vessel capsized and broke into two pieces during the storm, police said.

 

The ferry carried no lifeboats or life jackets, and was overloaded with people and goods, according to a police officer quoted by the Reuters news agency.

 

Boats are a common mode of transport in the area, which is dotted with small islands and villages along the banks of the river, reports the BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in Delhi.

 

Many of the boats are overcrowded with poor or minimal safety features, our correspondent adds.

 

More can be read at BBC World News.

 

Link:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-17904139

 

 

 

FLOODING IN ENGLAND AND WALES

 

England and Wales are hit by flooding after the wettest April ever.

 

170 areas are at risk of flooding (ALERTS).

 

A 54-year-old man in south England has drowned - he was washed away by a flood.

 

Source: Danish TV2 News live / more can be read on BBC World News:

 

 

BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17884961

 

From BBC News: 30 April 2012 Last updated at 01:04 GMT

 

Flood warnings as wind and rain hit England and Wales

 

Strong winds and heavy rain have brought down trees and power lines across England and Wales.

 

The Environment Agency has issued warnings of localised flooding in the South West, Midlands, North East and East of England.

 

Thousands of homes in south Wales, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Somerset have been left without electricity.

 

And a police officer was seriously injured when a tree fell on the van he was driving in Hampshire.

 

The heavy rain comes as many areas are currently in a state of drought following two unusually dry winters.

 

Forecasters say an area of heavy rain and strong winds has been spreading northwards across the southern half of the UK, with more than 38mm (1.5ins) of rain falling in some places overnight.

 

The Met Office said: "The public should be aware that this may lead to some local flooding given the recent wet conditions, and that north-easterly winds will exceed 50-60 mph in some locations, bringing the risk of falling trees."

 

It has now lifted an amber "be prepared" warning for the River Severn and its tributaries in Shropshire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire.

 

The Environment Agency (EA) has more than 25 flood warnings in place on rivers including the Wid in Essex; the Ouzel at Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire; the Derwent in East Yorkshire, and the River Stour in Warwickshire.

 

Most are for the South West, and include several rivers such as the Yarty at Axminster; the Torridge at Bideford, and the Otter at Honiton, in Devon, and the sections of the Brue and Doniford Stream in Somerset.

 

Among those areas also subject to warnings were parts of the Ouse at York, where the river flooded footpaths following torrential rain on Thursday. The Ouse is currently 9ft 2in (2.8m) above normal summer levels, the EA said.

 

A flood warning also relates to riverside properties in Chelmsford, and the area around the Essex County Cricket Ground in the city.

 

There are more than 170 alerts in place, warning of possible flooding in areas throughout England and Wales, except for the North West and Cumbria.

 

More on BBC news.

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 4 MAY 2012

 

JAPAN: Thousands in north-east Japan have been forced to leave their homes after cloudbursts: 344 mm of rain fell in the prefecture of Iwate in the north-east according to Japan's Meteorological Institute.

 

Source: Swedish text-TV / SVT

 

 

REMINDER:

 

Threatening / beginning hunger / famine disaster in the SAHEL zone in Africa comprising the countries Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Mauretania, Tchad, Cameroun, Burkina Faso and Senegal.

 

More than 12 million are at risk of dying from famine in the region. Only a prompt action / effort from the international community can prevent the hunger disaster from developing further.

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 4.5.12

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17967761

 

5 May 2012 Last updated at 15:06 GMT

 

Nepal floods: Thirteen dead near Annapurna

 

At least 13 people have died in Nepal and dozens more are missing, police say, after a mountain river burst its banks, causing flooding around Mount Annapurna in the west of the country.

 

Three Russian tourists trekking in the area are among the missing. Their names have not been released.

 

The floodwaters have swept into Pokhara, Nepal's second biggest city.

 

Police have been trying to reach the village in the Mount Annapurna area where the flooding started.

 

Fast-flowing floodwaters from the swollen Seti River smashed into two buildings and a number of shacks in Kharapani village, in the shadow of Mount Annapurna, police official Shailesh Thapa told the AFP news agency.

 

A number of people were swept away along with their houses and livestock.

 

Police are searching for more victims.

 

"Tourists flock to this area because there is a hot-water spring," an official from the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, named only as Paudel, told the AFP news agency.

 

"There hasn't been any rain recently, so we were surprised when the flood occurred at 09:30.

 

"The water has risen so high that it was up to a bridge. I found two truck drivers who had survived by fleeing to a hill nearby."

 

May is the end of the trekking season, but before the monsoon. The cause of the flood is not yet known.

 

One report said an avalanche on Annapurna had caused the river to back up before it burst its banks.

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 5 MAY, 2012

 

FLOOD IN NEPAL COST 14 HUMAN LIVES - DOZENS MISSING

At least 14 people died in a flood in Nepal on Saturday. The Seti river in central Nepal suddenly / quite unexpectedly burst its banks near Mount Annapurna in the west of the country causing flash flooding. Floods surged down the Seti river and swept through several small towns / villages. One town - Kharapani - was washed away.

 

Sunday, rescuers searched for dozens of missing (43 according to BBC World news) in the area near the town of Pokhara where many tourists go.

 

3 Ukrainian tourists trekking in the area are among the missing.

 

A landslide that blocked the river Seti's flow and later was dissolved is presumably the cause of the sudden flooding.

 

(sources: Swedish text-TV /SVT Text + BBC World news)

 

 

 

8 HIKERS FROZE TO DEATH IN JAPAN / TORNADO KILLS 1, MORE THAN 40 INJURED

 

8 hikers have frozen to death due to a massive weather change. The hikers died in the Japanese Alps on the island of HONSHU. Their clothing was insufficient as they suddenly ran into icecold rain showers and snow storms. A mountaineer found them dead close to the 2,932 m high Shiroumadake.

 

In east Japan - in the town of Tsukuba, a 14-year-old boy died in a Japanese storm, and more than 40 were injured (SVT Text). A tornado swept through Tsukuba which is situated 6 miles / 60 km north-east of Tokyo.

 

Up t0 100 houses were damaged, and 30-50 houses destroyed by the storm. There was a temporary power cut.

 

Sources: Swedish text-TV / SVT Text + German text-TV / ARDtext

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JAPAN:

 

A tornado swept through East Japan causing massive destruction. 890 houses were damaged. Roofs were blown away, cars destroyed and trees uprooted. The devastation covers a region of 12 km. More than 20,000 houses were without power for some time.

 

The worst affected town was Tsukuba north of Tokyo where a 14-year-old boy died under the ruin of his parents' house as the tornado swept through the provinces Ibaraki and Gumma. 48 additional people were damaged - some of them severely.

 

Source: German text-TV / ARDtext

 

FLASHFLOOD KILLS AT LEAST 27 PEOPLE IN NORTH-AFGHANISTAN

 

In connection with a flashflood following massive rainfall, at least 27 people who were part of a wedding party have lost their lives. The only survivor was the bride who was found by rescuers according to a spokesman for the province government.

 

Up to 300 people were missing after the accident in the north-Afghanistan province Sar-i-Pul or they are buried in mud. The flood swept through 3 villages in the district of Sancharak on Sunday evening. The search for the missing continues.

 

Source: German Text-TV / ARDtext

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AID AGENCIES WARN OF FAMINE IN WEST AFRICA

 

In some Westafrican countries a big famine is threatening. Aid agencies warn that by this summer 15 million people are without water and food. In particular babys, small children and old people are affected.

 

The World Food Programme needs about 550 million Euro to prevent famine. So far only half this amount har been pledged.

 

The crisis is caused by shortage of rain, too high grain prices and political unrest.

 

Source: German text-TV / ZDFtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 8 MAY 2012

 

FLOODS IN BRAZILIAN STATE OF AMAZONAS HAVE MADE 74,000 PEOPLE HOMELESS

 

At least 74,000 people have become homeless in the Brazilian state of Amazonas due to floodings in the last couple of days. More than 30 municipalities have declared state of emergency according to the Brazilian press.

 

The town of Parintins in central Amazonas is totally flooded after that the river rose by 9 m. In the past months it has rained unusually much in the eastern Andes and their highland.

 

Source: German text-Tv / ZDFtext