NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 24 / 25 JULY 2012

 

 

SPAIN: Wildfires near Barcelona in the Spanish region of Catalonia are more or less under control Tuesday evening according to the authorities in Catalonia.

 

The massive wildfires in north-eastern part of Spain are not yet under control, but the winds are no longer as strong. Thousand firefighters in action, and they have managed to get control of one of the wildfires that started at La Junquera - so Felip Puig, minister in the regional government in Catalonia. 4 have so far died.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text + German ZDftext + Norwegian NRK News

 

 

 

95 DEATHS AFTER RECORD-RAIN IN CHINA

 

95 people have died in connection with very bad weather in China. 45 are missing.

 

37 deaths have been reported in the capital, Beijiing which has experienced the worst rainfalls since the beginning of recording them.

 

Most of the victims drowned.

6 died when their houses collapsed, and 5 died by electrocution.

 

In some areas the streets are under 1 m high water.

 

Source: German ARDtext

 

 

 

MORE THAN 100 WOUNDED BY TYPHOON VICENTE IN HONGKONG

 

The authorities in HongKong have decreed that schools, offices and the stock exchange be closed today.

 

The alert level has been upgraded to the highest level since 1999 as a powerful typhoon swept across the area yesterday and wounded more than 100 people.

 

Also ferries, busses and trains have been cancelled and 270 flights delayed.

 

The typhoon called Vicente reached Hongkong with wind speeds/gusts of almost 140 km per hour.

 

600 trees were overturned / uprooted, and several areas in HongKong have been flooded.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text + Norwegian NRK News

 

 

MILLIONS ARE STILL SUFFERING AFTER FAMINE IN EAST AFRICA IN THE HORN OF AFRICA

 

Last year up to 100,000 people died as a result of the DROUGHT in the HORN OF AFRICA.

 

One year after the declaration of FAMINE in SOMALIA, 3.7 MILLION people remain IN ACUTE / URGENT NEED OF HUMANITARIAN AID even though the famine was officially declared over in February - this is reported by several aid agencies.

 

"Progress has been made since the disaster culminated last year, but the problems have not been solved.

 

2.2 MILLION PEOPLE in the HORN OF AFRICA STILL NEED HUMANITARIAN AID - TODAY AND IN FUTURE", so Anne Poulsen, Director of tne Nordic office for UN's World Food Program. She adds: "The situation remains very serious / grave, and the progress made remains fragile / small".

 

The latest figures show that the number of people having fled Somalia have passed one million.

 

Most refugees from Somalia have fled to camps in Kenya and Ethiopia according to Ann Mary Olsen, head of the international department of Danish Refugee Council.

 

Source: Danish newspaper "Berlingske Tidende" on 21 July 2012

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 25 JULY 2012

 

DANGEROUS / MENACING ICE MELTING IN GREENLAND

 

In July the ice cap in Greenland has melted more than NASA has observed during 30 years of satellite measurements.

 

Normally, around half of the ice begins to melt during summer, but this year it has been established via satellite measurements that the melting concerns 97% !! The reason was an unusually powerful high pressure with warm/hot air located over Greenland.

 

Even the ice at the research station Summit Station (3,214 m) was melting for the first time since 1889.

 

Sources: Norwegian NRK News + Swedish SVT Text

 

 

POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE IN SUMATRA, INDONESIA KILLS ONE MAN

 

Today - Wednesday, 25 July 2012 - a powerful earthquake (magnitude 6.4) shook the western part of Indonesia killing one man.

 

Inhabitants in panic ran out of their houses in the northern part of the island of SUMATRA .

 

No tsunami was triggered.

 

The epicentre of the quake was 34 km north-west of the community of Sinabang in the ACEH province. The quake took place at a depth of 22 km.

 

A 70-year-old man died when he ran out of his home in panic and fell.

 

Source: German text-TV / ARDtext

 

 

BEIJIING's MAYOR MUST RESIGN AFTER CRITICISM REGARDING THE CRISIS MANAGEMENT AFTER CLOUDBURST IN BEIJIING, CHINA

 

3 days after the devastating bad weather in China with at least 95 dead, Beijiing's mayor has resigned. According to state-run media, his deputy also resigned.

 

Before that, the population had massively criticized the crisis management by the authorities in Beijiing.

 

In connection with the heavy rainfalls and the ensuing floodings 37 people died in Beijiing alone last week-end.

 

The city council has been blamed for not issuing warnings in time.

 

Source: German text-TV / ARDtext

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 26 JULY 2012

 

 

77 DIED IN FLOODING IN CHINA's CAPITAL BEIJING

 

The death toll after the worst cloudburst in Beijing for more than 60 years has risen to at least 77 - so the news agency Xinhua writes.

 

The authorities had announced that 37 had died, and many inhabitants in the Chinese capital have expressed doubt as to the reliability of the official figures.

 

The bad weather last Saturday is said to be one of the worst in Beijing since 1951.

 

The cloudburst made rivers burst their banks, and vast parts of the road network were flooded / submerged. A great number of cars were left by their owners.

 

Source: Danish text-TV / Dr.dk/news

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 28 JULY 2012

 

 

AT LEAST 88 DEAD IN FLOODING IN NORTH KOREA

 

The flooding that hit North Korea this month has killed at least 88 people according to a state-run north-korean news agency.

 

At least 134 have been injured in the flooding that ravaged between 18 and 24 July - so Pyongyang's official news agency, KCNA.

 

More than 63,0000 people have become homeless in the flooding that was triggered by heavy rain and a typhoon.

 

Vast agricultural areas and several houses were destroyed by the flooding.

 

Sources: Swedish text-TV / SVT Text + Norwegian NRk News

 

 

 

 

RUSSIA FIGHTING WILDFIRES

 

11 regions are in a state of emergency. There have been deaths and injured, said PM Dmitri Medwedew in a video conference with Russian governors.

 

There is no air traffic at the airport in Tomsk in West Siberia due to smog caused by the wildfires.

 

Source: German ARDtext

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 29 JULY 2012

 

 

1 DEAD IN AUSTRIA AFTER BAD WEATHER

 

Bad weather during a medieval festival in the Austrian state of Niederösterreich (Lower Austria) resulted in the death of 1 man. 13 people were injured.

 

On Saturday evening, the branch of a tree broke off and landed on several tents in Pöchlarn. The man was a 50-year-old local man who died from his injuries.

 

Heavy rain resulted in FLOODING in POLAND and the CZECH republic.

 

In southern part of the Czech republic a train collided with an overturned tree. Ten thousands of households were without electricity / power. Streets were submerged (flooded).

 

Source: German ARDtext

 

 

FLOODING IN NORTH KOREA: 88 DEAD - THOUSANDS HOMELESS

 

Flooding in North Korea has cost 88 human lives in the past few days according to official information.

 

Almost 63,000 have become homeless according to the state-run media in the communistic country.

 

At least 134 people were injured as typhoon "Khanun" ravaged the country with heavy rain triggering flooding between 18 and 24 July.

 

One week of flooding resulted in "substantial human and material losses".

 

This means that the supply situation in South Korea could worsen.

 

 

The United Nations regards 7.2 million of the 24 million inhabitants in North Korea as "chronically poor".

 

 

Agricultural areas of more than 300 square kilometres have been destroyed. This may lead to a worsening of the GRAVE FOOD SHORTAGE in North Korea.

 

RAINSTORMS EXPECTED in most parts of the country on Sunday and Monday according to the state-run KCNA.

 

Sources: German ZDFtext + Norwegian NRK News (text-TV) + Swedish SVT Text

 

 

MAGNITUDE 6.6 EARTHQUAKE OFF PAPUA NEW-GUINEA

 

A powerful earthquake struck the region off Papua New-Guinea during the night between Saturday and Sunday.

 

The earthquake had a magnitude of 6.6, and the epicentre was 130 km east-south-east of Rabaul on the island of New Britain.

 

This information is based on USGS i.e the US Geological Survey institute.

 

The quake was not expected to trigger any tsunami - and no reports received about any tsunami.

 

Source: Norwegian text-tv / NRK News

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 30 JULY 2012

 

 

TROPICAL STORM IN THE PHILIPPINES COST 3 HUMAN LIVES AND FORCED 14,000 PEOPLE TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES

 

MANILA - the capital in the Philippines - and several provinces in the north-east are partly under water after a tropical storm.

 

14,000 people have been forced to leave their homes.

 

3 people died during the past week-end according to the authorities in charge of disaster management.

 

The bad weather continued to TAIWAN.

 

The storm "SAOLA" ravaged in the Philippines since Saturday with wind gusts up to 135 km per hour and HEAVY RAIN.

 

Numerous rivers burst their banks. Trees were uprooted by strong winds.

 

Flights were cancelled - and many areas were without power / electricity due to power cuts.

 

Source: German ARDtext

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 31 JULY 2012

 

 

140,000 PHILIPPINES AFFECTED BY TYPHOON "SAOLA"- 8 KILLED

 

FLOODING, LANDSLIDES and ACCIDENTS have forced 140,000 Philippines away from their homes in the Philippines where a typhoon in the night between Monday and Tuesday has ravaged the northern part of the country.

 

The typhoon "SAOLA" has cost 8 human lives - so the news agency dpa.

 

The typhoon reached wind gusts of 120 km per hour, and the strongest winds reached 150 km per hour according to the meteorological institute in the Philippines.

 

Source: Danish text-tv / DR.DK/News

[Reilly]

You have 95% of the posts in this thread, I think if anyone's interested then they will be looking it up themselves, I don't see why this is a sticky.

[nancyk58]

You have 95% of the posts in this thread, I think if anyone's interested then they will be looking it up themselves[/color], I don't see why this is a sticky.

 

 

It is correct that 95% of the posts in this thread was made by me, and that people can look it up themselves.

 

But sometimes I post news (almost) immediately after the news occurred.

 

And some coldplayers look here for latest news instead of having to look it up themselves in various media.

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 1 AUGUST 2012

 

150,000 EVACUATED IN THE PHILIPPINES

 

Enormous waves passed the dams and flooded several shanty towns outside the Filipino capital MANILA.

 

14 people have been confirmed dead after 4 days of storm and rain. 150,000 have been evacuated after the typhoon Saolo hit the northern parts of the country and reinforced the monsoon rain.

 

Worst hit are Manila and the areas around the capital housing a total of more than 15 million people.

 

It has rained up to 20 mm per hour according to the authority in charge of managing the disaster.

 

The typhoon is expected to move on to TAIWAN. The authorities here have closed several schools, cancelled flight departures and evacuated people from communities expected to get most of the very heavy rain anticipated.

 

Sources: Norwegian NRK News / Swedish SVT Text

 

 

119 DEATHS IN RELATION TO BAD WEATHER IN NORTH KOREA WITHIN 2 WEEKS

 

Last Sunday and Monday, 31 died in connection with thunder & lightning and heavy rain. 16 are reported missing.

 

This will most certain worsen the situation of provision further.

 

According to a United Nations report from the middle of July about 2 THIRDS (2/3) OF NORTH KOREA's 24.1.MILLION POPULATION DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.

 

Source: German text-TV from ZDF (ZDFtext)

 

 

 

WILDFIRES CONTINUE IN RUSSIA

 

Massive fires continue in Sibiria. The city of TOMSK is covered by smog according to eye witnesses who complained about having difficulties to breathe.

 

Russia has now had 3 months of continuous heatwave with very dry weather. This has destroyed a lot of the crops.

 

Source: German text-tv on ARD / ARDtext

 

 

 

SPANIARDS FLEEING WILDFIRE

 

Another wildfire has broken out in Spain. This time close to the city of Chequilla in Alto Tajo national park in the Castilla-la-Mancha region in central Spain.

 

Wednesday 265 people were evacuataed from their homes in the region as a precautionary measure if the fire should spread. Several hundred firefighters are participating in extinguishing by means of more than 70 fire vehicles.

 

It is very dry in the region.

 

Source: Danish TV2 News on 1.8.12 at 22:31

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 2 AUGUST 2012

 

 

WARNING OF CLOUDBURST IN THE TYPHOON'S TRAIL

 

The consequences of the typhoon SAOLA have been enormoust in both the PHILIPPINES and TAIWAN:

 

AT LEAST 23 HAVE DIED IN THE PHILIPPINES. THE TAIWAN DEATH TOLL IS AT LEAST 6.

 

The entire island of Taiwan was forced to close down to avoid even worse consequences of the typhoon.

 

The typhoon swept slowly across the islands and has now been downgraded to a tropical storm.

 

Meteorologists are still warning of cloudburst.

 

Source: Swedish text-TV / SVT Text

 

 

RED CROSS SENDS MONEY AID TO NORTH KOREA

 

After the bad weather and the floodings in North Korea the Red Cross has earmarked the equivalent of around 2 million Swedish kroner to relief work in North Korea.

 

According to a spokesman for the International Red Cross Committee the money is to be used for emergency aid for 2,500 hard-hit families.

 

The floodings have made more than 80,000 people homeless.

 

Thousands of hectares of agricultural land is under water.

 

The death toll is stated to be 119.

 

Even ten thousands of ton of equipment and coal have been swept away from coal mines in the affected areas.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 3 AUGUST 2012

 

http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5377437#post5377437

 

3 August 2012 Last updated at 01:54 GMT

 

UN: North Korea seeks immediate food aid after floods

 

The United Nations says North Korea has requested immediate food aid after devastating floods last month.

 

UN officials in Pyongyang said the need for aid was urgent after visiting flood-hit parts of the country to assess damage.

 

North Korea state media said that at least 119 people died and tens of thousands were left homeless.

 

Damage to infrastructure and farmland has affected the country's already dire food shortage problem.

 

The most badly affected areas are Anju city and Songchon County in South Phyongan Province, and Chonnae County in Kangwon Province, said the UN.

 

Residents in these areas are in urgent need of food supplies, as well as clean water, as wells have been contaminated by sewage during the floods.

 

A UN spokesman in New York confirmed that the North Korean government has asked the UN to release emergency supplies such as food and fuel.

 

Some international aid groups have already begun gathering supplies and donations. On Thursday, the Red Cross said it would allocate more than $300,000 (£193,000) for flood victims.

 

Recent images from Anju taken by state news agency KCNA showed houses underwater, flooded agricultural land and people sheltering in the upper stories of buildings.

 

Kim Kwang-dok, vice-chairman of the Anju City People's Committee, told the Associated Press news agency that the flooding was the worst in the city's history.

 

The floods - which followed a severe drought earlier this year - have sparked fresh concern over North Korea's struggle to feed its people, says the BBC's Lucy Williamson in Seoul.

 

North Korea relies on food aid because it cannot grow enough food to feed its people. Famine in the mid-1990s is believed to have killed hundreds of thousands of people.

 

A UN report released last month estimated that two-thirds of North Korea's 24m population suffer from a chronic shortage of food.

 

Sources: BBC and Norwegian NRK news + Swedish SVT Text

 

 

FILIPINO DEATH TOLL IN CONNECTION WITH THE TYPHOON SAOLA RISEN TO 39

 

Typhoon SAOLA with ensuing flooding has cost at least 39 human lives in the Philippines. Among the victims are several young people who were surprised by storm surges when they were surfing.

 

Cloudburst resulted in 1.8 m of rain. The storm ravaged with up to 155 km per hour.

 

The death toll may rise further as 2 people are missing in the northern part of the Philippines.

 

Regions in the northern and central parts of the country are still getting heavy rain.

 

The typhoon did not hit the Philippines directly, but it increased the intensity of the monsoon rain.

 

Sources: German text-tv / ARDtext and Swedish SVT Text

 

 

DEATH TOLL OF 44 (39 IN THE PHILIPPINES + 5 IN TAIWAN) AFTER TYPHOON SAOLA IN EAST ASIA

 

Thursday saw the tropical storm of DAMREY hitting TAIWAN. It lost its strength.

 

9 hours later it hit China's south-eastern province of FUJIAN as a tropical storm with 90 km per hour - so the news agency Xinhua News.

 

Source: Danish TV2 news (text-tv)

 

 

CARIBBEAN ISLANDS ARE PREPARING FOR TROPICAL STORM

 

The epicentre of the storm is moving towards the islands of Barbados, St. Vincent, the Grenadines, St. Lucia and Dominica.

It might develop into a hurricane.

 

Jamaica and Cuba may also be affected by this storm.

 

Source: German ZDFtext

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 4 AUGUST 2012

 

 

NORTH KOREA DEATH TOLL AFTER HEAVY RAIN AND ENSUING FLOODING RISEN TO 169

 

Heavy rain and ensuing flooding within the last couple of weeks have cost at least 169 human lives in North Korea according to local media.

 

More than 400 are missing in the worst hit areas of the poor and internationally isolated country.

 

Between 84,000 and 212,000 people have become homeless as a consequence of the flooding.

 

UN and other aid agencies have visited North Korea in order to estimate the possibilities of assistance. Corn, soya and rice fields have been damaged.

 

United Nations' World Food Program has sent acute food aid to the flood-affected areas in North Korea.

 

The affected population will initially get 400 g of corn per day for 2 weeks.

 

Ten thousands of families urgently need clean drinking water according to WFP.

 

The rain started at the end of June, and at the end of July the situation became grave.

 

Sources: Danish text-tv (DR.dk/news), Swedish SVT news, Norwegian NRK News and German text-tv (ARDtext)

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 5 AUGUST 2012

 

 

AT LEAST 31 DEAD AFTER HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING IN UTTARKHAND, NORTH INDIA

 

A total of 31 people have been confirmed dead in the north-Indian state of UTTARKHAND after heavy rain and massive flooding in the region.

 

It is the worst flood in Uttarkhand for 30 years.

 

Several houses, bridges and vast parts of the main road in the Uttarkashi district have been destroyed.

 

According to local media, between 15 and 40 persons are missing in Uttarkashi and the neighbouring districts of Chamoli and Garhwal.

 

About 2,000 people are affected by the flood according to estimates made by the authorities.

 

Source: Norwegian NRK

 

 

LANDSLIDES AFTER HEAVY RAIN IN SOUTHERN TIROL

 

One woman has died in a landslide in Southern Tirol.

 

Cars were trapped in a tunnel and houses and the Brenner railway line were washed away by masses of mud and water after heavy rain.

 

Mud ran into a farm in Afens where a woman died according to Südtirol-Online.

 

A second woman whose farm was fully torn away remains missing.

 

About 150 people living near a brook with threatening high water level were evacuated as a precautionary measure.

 

Sources: German text-TV (ARDtext + ZDFtext)

 

 

 

WILDFIRES IN THE CANARIAN ISLAND OF LA GOMERA

 

A wildfire has reached the nationalpark Garajonay in the Canarian island of La Gomera.

 

The park has a unique natural landscape and is part of Unesco's world heritage. It is a European bird sanctuary.

 

The firefighters concentrate on preventing the flames from reaching populated areas.

 

600 inhabitants in various communities were evacuated as a precautionary measure.

 

Source: German text-TV (ARDtext)

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 7 AUGUST 2012

 

 

HUNDRED THOUSANDS FLEEING TYPHOON HAIKUI WHICH APPROACHES CHINA's EAST COAST / 200,000 PEOPLE EVACUATED IN SHANGHAI AND 130,000 IN PROVINCE ZHEJIANG

 

Typhoon Haikui is the third typhoon expected to reach China's east coast in one week.

 

Chinese media warn that it might be the worst storm since 2005, and it is expected to reach the coast in the Zhejiang province south of Shanghai no later than on Wednesday.

 

Last week-end 23 people were killed when 2 other typhoons named SAOLA and DAMREY hit China.

 

Sources: Swedish SVT Text and Danish TV2 News + German ZDFtext

 

 

UP TO 270,000 PEOPLE (MORE THAN 1/4 MILLION) FLEEING WATER MASSES THROUGHOUT THE PHILIPPINES - CAPITAL MANILA HARD HIT WITH AT LEAST 53 DEAD. ALSO SEVERAL PROVINCES SURROUNDING CAPITAL MANILA HARD HIT. UP TO 70 DEAD THROUGHOUT THE PHILIPPINES

 

MANILA - the Filipino capital with 15 million inhabitants - is paralyzed by cloudbursts that have so far cost at least 53 human lives in Manila and maybe up to 70 human lives throughout the Philippines.

 

Cloudbursts and ensuing flooding have forced more than 250,000 (up to 270,000) away from their homes throughout the Philippines.

 

Half of Manila is under water. At least 20,000 people in Manila were forced by flooding to leave their homes for emergency camps according to the authorities. Schools, banks, government offices and work places have been forced to close as most main roads in Manila have been submerged / flooded.

 

More than one week of rain has forced close to 270,000 people to leave their homes throughout the Philippines.

 

The bad weather also triggered landslides. It is the worst weather since the disastrous flood 3 years ago when several hundred human lives were claimed / lost.

 

The weather service warns of more rain.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text + German ZDFtext + ARDtext + Norwegian NRK News

 

 

WILDFIRES ON GRAN CANARIA, SPAIN UNDER CONTROL

 

Wildfires ravaged in Gran Canaria for 4 days and are now largely under control according to local authorities.

 

On the island of La Gomera the flames have consumed about 3,100 hectares of forest and wilderness.

 

The Garajonay national park housing 21 protected plant species has been considerably damaged.

 

The fires caused power cuts and telephone connections had problems.

 

One person is arrested according to the website canarias7.es.

 

Source: Danish DR News

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 8 AUGUST 2012

 

WEAKENED TYPHOON HAIKUI REACHED CHINA

 

Typhoon Haikui swept China's east coast Wednesday, but it was weaker than feared. It had wind gusts of up to 150 km per hour, and the waves along the coast are reported to have been up to 5 m high.

 

The weather service warned of strong winds and risk of enormous amounts of rain.

 

Several buildings have collapsed.

 

Almost 2 million people had been evacuated before the arrival of the typhoon - the third to hit China in only one week.

 

In the Shanghai region alone 374,000 people had been evacuated. In the neighbouring province Zheijang 1.5 million people had been evacuated.

 

The eye of the storm did not hit Shanghai (with many million inhabitants), but the air traffic was cancelled, and so were several trains.

 

The 2 previous typhoons that recently hit China had claimed at least 23 human lives.

 

Sources: Swedish SVT Text + Norwegian NRK news

 

 

HURRICANE ERNESTO SWEPT ACROSS MEXICO

 

Hurricane Ernesto swept across the Yucatán peninsula on Mexico's east coast with wind speeds / gusts of 40 m per second according to USA's hurricane centre in Miami, Florida. Before that it had passed the coastal town of Mahuahal as a hurricane with wind speeds of 140 km per hour.

 

The streets of the city of Chetumal were under water, and thousands of inhabitants and tourists sought refuge in the hurricane shelters that had been established.

 

Cancén (which is popular with the tourists) longer to the north experienced heavy rain. But no evacuation was ordered, but the tourists were urged to stay at their hotels.

 

From hotels on the Caribbean coast more than 1,300 tourists were evacuated to Chetumal on the border to Belize.

 

Ernesto was classified as a category 1 storm on the hurricane scale that has 5 categories of storm.

 

Source: German SVT Text + ARD Text

 

 

MAJOR PART OF FILIPINO CAPITAL MANILA UNDER WATER

 

The monsoon rain over Manila has weakened somewhat, but 800,000 remains hard hit by the water masses in the Filipino capital.

 

Rescue & aid workers transported food, water and clothing to the almost 850,000 needy in Manila during Wednesday.

 

About 60% of Manila is submerged / under water.

 

Yesterday - Tuesday 7 August 2012 - additional 11 deaths were reported - thus the heavy monsoon rain has so far claimed 64 human lives.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 9 AUGUST 2012

 

 

ALMOST 2 MILLION FILIPINOS AFFECTED BY FLOODING AND NEEDING HELP / AT LEAST 36 HAVE DIED / 80 PER CENT OF MANILA UNDER WATER

 

At least 36 people have lost their lives in the flooding ravaging the Filipino capital, MANILA and the surrounding areas. 80% of Manila is under water. 2 million of Filipinos are in need of help.

 

About 300,000 were forced to seek refuge from the water masses in emergency shelters. 1.4 million are dependent on supply of food and medicine.

 

The authorities are looking for voluntaries to distribute food, water and other stuff as i.a. medicine to those affected by the flooding.

 

The flooding has been caused by 2 weeks of non-stop monsoon rain.

 

MANILA - the capital with 15 million inhabitants - received one month of rain within only 48 hours.

 

In particular the poor quarters / districts of Manila are affected. The quarter Marikina City is very hard hit.

Million of people there have built houses along banks (of rivers) that are at risk of flooding.

 

The water has started receding.

 

Sources: German ZDFtext + ARDtext + Norwegian NRK News + Swedish SVT Text + Danish TV2 news

 

 

HEATWAVE AND WILDFIRES IN SOUTHERN EUROPE

 

South Europe experiences a heatwave with temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius and wildfires.

 

6 people were injured due to a wildfire on the Greek peninsula of Peloponnes.

 

In southwest Bulgaria more than 400 firefighters and voluntaries are fighting the flames.

 

There is a shortage of drinking water on the Balkan peninsula.

 

Spain is preparing for the culmination of a heatwave on Friday.

 

On the Croatian peninsula of Istria with hundred thousands people on holiday, Butoniga Dam is almost empty as main source of water.

 

 

Source: German ZDFtext

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 10 AUGUST 2012

 

60 PEOPLE DEAD IN THE PHILIPPINES

 

The death toll after heavy rains flooded most of the Filipino capital MANILA and parts of the neighbouring provinces has risen to 60 - according to the government today Friday.

 

6 remain missing.

 

The Filipino government has asked the outside world to help the country handle the disaster involving massive flooding that affected 2 million people.

 

The disaster was caused by Manila being hit by 48 hours of heavy rain. Manila received the same amount of rain that normally falls in one month.

 

Source: Danish TV2 NEWS

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 11 AUGUST 2012

 

 

AT LEAST 7 DEATHS IN CONNECTION WITH TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO IN MEXICO

 

The tropical storm "Ernesto" has claimed at least 7 deaths during its passage across Mexico.

 

2 fishermen drowned in the state of Tabasco according to the authorities. An 8-year-old-boy and his parents died in Veracruz as a strong wind caused a tree to fall upon their car.

 

A young woman drowned in a car that had been swept away by a flood. A man was struck by lightning.

 

"Ernesto" weakened during Friday.

 

But thestorm warning issued by the weather service remains in force .

 

Source: Danish TV2 News early on 11.8 + German XDFtext

 

 

FIRE ON THE SPANISH ISLAND OF LA GOMERA SURPRISINGLY FLARED UP AGAIN

 

A wildfire that was considered contained on the Spanish holiday island of Gomera has flared up again.

 

300 people have been evacuated from 7 villages and from a recreational activity / facility in the nationalpark of Garajonay according to the regional government for the Canarian Islands.

 

About 10% of the national park had been destroyed by the flames a few days ago. In the middle of the week the authorities had declared that the fire was contained.

 

The nationalpark Garajonay is part of the UNESCO world heritage.

 

Source: German ZDFtext

 

 

DEATH TOLL IN THE PHILIPPINES HAS RISEN TO AT LEAST 66 - 9 MISSING

 

The death toll has risen in the Philippines after the flooding.

 

At least 66 have died in the capital Manila and the areas surrounding the capital. 9 remain missing.

 

The northern Filipino islands have been under water caused by heavy monsoon rain since last week-end. Rivers have burst their banks. The streets are under water (more than 1 m high).

 

More than 2½ million are affected. More than 750,000 had to flee. 440,000 of these are now in emergency centres / camps.

 

According to the authorities not only policemen and military, but also thousands of civilians are involved in the clean-up operation in Manila after the massive floodings.

 

Sources: German text-tv (ARDtext) + Swedish SVT Text

 

 

THE DROUGHT IN THE USA HAS CAUSED MORE-THAN-EXPECTED DAMAGE TO CORN / MAIZE

 

The worst drought for 50 years has caused more-than-expected damage to the corn / maize crops in the USA.

 

One sixth (1/6) of this years crops has been destroyed during the last month of very hot and dry weather.

 

The US Ministry of Agriculture expects a 13% decline in the crops of corn / maize & soya beans.This result will be at the lowest level for 6 years.

 

This will cause the prices of the globally important crops to reach new record-levels. The cor / maize n price might increase to 8:90 dollars per bushel against the expected 6:40 in July.

 

Soya beans are expected to be traded for 15-17 dollars per bushel which is 2 dollars more than last month's prognosis.

 

USA is the largest producer in the world of corn / maize and soya beans.

 

Source: Norwegian NRK News (text-TV) + Swedish SVT Text + BBC World News (text-TV)

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 11 AUGUST 2012

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19226500

 

11 August 2012 Last updated at 21:08 GMT

 

Iran earthquakes leave scores dead in Tabriz region

 

Two strong earthquakes have struck north-western Iran, leaving at least 180 people dead and more than 1,300 injured, officials say.

 

The quakes struck near the city of Tabriz and the town of Ahar, but most of the casualties are thought to be in outlying villages.

 

Reports say phone lines to many villages have been cut off, making rescue efforts harder.

 

The US Geological Service measured the quakes at magnitude 6.4 and 6.3.

 

The first tremor occured at 16:53 local time (12:23 GMT), according to state TV.

 

"The quake has created huge panic among the people," one resident of Tabriz told the BBC. "Everyone has rushed to the streets and the sirens of ambulances are everywhere."

 

The towns of Haris and Varzaqab in East Azerbaijan province were among those that suffered casualties, Khalil Saei, local crisis committee chief, told state TV, according to the Associated Press.

 

Officials say at least four villages have been completely destroyed, with another 60 villages suffering damage ranging from 50% to 70%.

 

'My family is terrified'

 

Dozens of rescue workers have been sent to the region, but the onset of darkness has hampered relief efforts. Phone communication in the city of Tabriz has also been disrupted, reports say

 

Officials warn that the death toll may rise, with rescuers searching under the rubble of collapsed buildings for survivors.

 

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's office posted a statement on its website expressing condolences to those in the disaster zone and calling on authorities to "mobilise all efforts to help the affected populations," the AFP news agency reports.

 

A provincial official has warned people in the region to stay outdoors overnight because of the risk of aftershocks.

 

"My family is really terrified. It is night time now but we cannot sleep," Tabriz resident Amina Zia told the BBC.

 

"This earthquake was... very strong and violent.

 

"There were around 10 aftershocks, which lasted a total of 10 minutes."

 

The two earthquakes came within minutes of each other, according to seismology experts at Tehran University.

 

Iran straddles a major geological fault like, making it prone to seismic activity. In 2003 an earthquake in the city of Bam left 25,000 people dead.

 

This quake was also reported on Danish, German, Norwegian and Swedish text-tv

 

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19230635

 

11 August 2012 Last updated at 23:19 GMT

 

Fresh fires blaze on Spain's Canary Islands

 

Spanish firefighting teams in the Canary Islands are struggling anew to contain forest fires said to have forced some 4,700 people from their homes.

 

On the island of Tenerife, the blaze has cut road links and power lines.

 

On the neighbouring island of La Gomera officials say the fire has destroyed part of a nature reserve with "incalculable ecological value".

 

Spain has been hard hit by forest fires after its driest winter in 70 years.

 

Blazes are also raging in the mainland region of Galicia.

 

Fires first erupted on La Gomera a week ago, but by Monday the blaze was thought to be under control and aircraft used to help put out the flames had even been sent elsewhere, regional official Nancy Melo told the Associated Press news agency.

 

But on Friday the islands' government said the fire had now intensified, and a fresh blaze had begun on Tenerife.

 

About 2,500 people have been evacuated on La Gomera, along with some 2,200 people on Tenerife, the Agence France-Presse news agency quoted the regional government as saying.

 

'Decades to recover'

 

On La Gomera, the flames have devoured some 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) of land, AFP said.

 

That includes a tenth of the Garajonay nature reserve, a Unesco World Heritage site, some of which is believed to have been in existence for millions of years. Officials have already said it will take at least three decades for the burned areas of the reserve to recover.

 

Firefighters battling the blazes were up against "high temperatures, low humidity and wind" fanning the flames, regional economy minister Javier Gonzalez Ortiz was quoted as saying.

 

The dry winter has been followed by a scorching heatwave.

 

On the mainland, villages have been evacuated in the Galician province of Ourense as more forest fires rage out of control.

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 12 AUGUST 2012

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19231118

 

12 August 2012 Last updated at 08:44 GMT

 

Iran quakes death toll rises to 250, as search goes on

 

Rescuers in Iran are searching through the rubble of collapsed buildings for survivors from two strong earthquakes which left at least 250 people dead.

 

The 6.4 and 6.3 quakes struck near Tabriz and Ahar on Saturday afternoon, and more than 2,000 are believed injured, many in outlying villages.

 

Thousands spent the night in emergency shelters or in the open and there have been more than 55 aftershocks.

 

Relief agencies are providing survivors with tents, bread and drinking water.

 

The BBC's Mohsen Asgari, in the capital Tehran, says hundreds of people were rescued overnight but that the continuing aftershocks have made the operation exhausting work.

 

The numbers of victims is expected to rise, say our correspondent.

 

'Mass grave'

 

All the deaths reported so far have been in rural areas, said local officials, an indication of the poorer quality of housing outside urban areas.

 

Reports say phone lines to many villages have been cut off, confining rescuers to radio contact.

 

"The quake has created huge panic among the people," one resident of Tabriz told the BBC. "Everyone has rushed to the streets and the sirens of ambulances are everywhere."

 

The towns of Haris and Varzaqan in East Azerbaijan province in north-western Iran were among those that suffered casualties, local crisis committee chief Khalil Saei told state TV according to the Associated Press.

 

"The magnitude of the disaster is so huge that officials are just managing to get enough people in from other provinces to help out," one Iranian Red Crescent worker told the AFP news agency.

 

Iran's Deputy Interior Minister Hassan Ghadami told the official Fars news agency that about 110 villages had been damaged.

 

State TV said at least six villages were totally flattened, with 60 other villages sustaining damage ranging from 50% to 80%.

 

"This village is a mass grave," said Alireza Haidaree, who had been searching for survivors in his home of Baje Baj.

 

"There are so many other villages that have been completely destroyed," he told AFP. Locals said 33 of the villages 414 residents had died.

 

Stadium shelter

 

Sixty-six rescue teams have been sent to the region, along with about 200 ambulances and five helicopters.

 

"Unfortunately there are still a number of people trapped in the rubble but finding them is very difficult because of the darkness," news agency Fars quoted national emergency head Gholam Reza Masoumi as saying.

 

State TV broadcast footage of dozens of families sleeping outdoors in parks, and bodies lying on the floor of a morgue in Ahar, including those of children.

 

As morning came, search teams with sniffer dogs began working through the wreckage in Tabriz.

 

The timing of the quake, towards the end of the day in the holy month of Ramadan, meant it caught many people indoors as they preparing to break their day of fasting.

 

A Red Crescent official estimated that 16,000 people had been given emergency shelter in a sports stadium after they were forced to leave their homes.

 

The organisation has provided 3,000 tents, blankets, tonnes of food and blood supplies.

 

The Turkish Red Crescent said it was sending a truck full of emergency supplies to the border.

 

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's office posted a statement on its website expressing condolences to those in the disaster zone and calling on authorities to "mobilise all efforts to help the affected populations," AFP reports.

 

A provincial official warned people to stay outdoors overnight because of the risk of aftershocks.

 

"My family is really terrified. It is night time now but we cannot sleep," Tabriz resident Amina Zia told the BBC.

 

"This earthquake was... very strong and violent.

 

The first quake struck 23km (14 miles) south-west of Ahar and 58km (36) miles north-east of Tabriz at 16:54 local time (12:23 GMT) on Saturday, said the US Geological Survey.

 

The second earthquake struck just 11 minutes after the first, slightly closer to Tabriz.

 

Iran straddles a major geological fault line, making it prone to seismic activity. In 2003 an earthquake in the city of Bam left more than 25,000 people dead.

 

Iran's earthquake history

 

March 2006 - at least 70 people are killed and nearly 1,000 injured by a 6.0 magnitude quake in Lorestan province

 

February 2005 - more than 500 people killed by a strong quake near Zahran, in Kerman province

 

December 2003 - a 6.6 magnitude quake destroys the ancient city of Bam, killing more than 25,000 people - maybe up to 31,000 killed in southeastern Iran

 

May 1997 - more than 1,600 killed in Birjand, eastern Iran, in a 7.1 magnitude quake

 

February 1997 - a 5.5 magnitude quake kills about 1,000 in north-western Iran

 

June 1990 - some 40,000 die in a tremor in the northern Gilan province

 

 

MORE THAN 250 DEAD + MORE THAN 2,000 INJURED IN POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE IN IRAN

 

The epicentre of the quake was near the city of Täbris in northwestern IRAN.

 

According to the University of Teheran, the quake had a magnitude of 6.2 followed by an aftershock with a magnitude of 6.0.

 

In the area surrounding Täbris several villages are cut off trom the outside world. Power and telephones lines are cut.

 

There have been many aftershocks during the night.

 

Sources: German text-TV (ARDtext + ZDFtext) + Norwegian text-tv (NRK News) + Swedish text-tv (SVT Text) + Danish text-tv (TV2 News + DR)

 

 

MASSIVE FOREST FIRES REASON FOR EVACUATION OF MORE THAN 4,700 PEOPLE IN THE CANARIAN ISLANDS, SPAIN

 

The rescue teams on the islands of La Gomera and Tenerife were in action non-stop.

 

The towns of La Hayas, Arure and Guada in the western parts of La Gomera

have been evacuated.

 

The fires in the island of La Gomera are the worst for 10 years, and the fire has destroyed 1,300 hectares. The authorities have evacuated about 2,500 from 13 towns. 2,200 persons have been evacuated in Tenerife.

 

The firefighters find it very difficult to contain the fires according to the regional Minister of Economy Javier Gonzalez Ortiz. The fires were triggered by high temperatures, very dry weather and the wind.

 

The national park of Garajonay on La Gomera is threatened. The national park is part of the UNESCO world heritage.

 

At least one tenth (1/10) of a part of the national park of Garajonay has already burnt down.

 

According to the environment authority on the island it may take 30-40 years for the park to recover from the fire.

 

Sources: German text-tv (ARDtext + ZDFtext) + Norwegian text-tv (NRK News) + Swedish SVT Text + Danish TV2 News (text-tv plus live)

 

 

 

HEAVY RAIN EXTINGUISHES FIRES IN GREECE

 

Greece is relieved: Heavy rain in the night between Saturday and Sunday largely extinguished the grave forest fire on the peninsula of Chalkidiki.

 

The rain also made it possible to get smaller fires on the peninsula of Peloponnes under control.

 

After several days of temperatures > 40 degrees Celsius, the temperature fell to only 32 degrees C on Sunday.

 

The firefighters and extinguishing crafts remain in highest alert.

 

A fire was ongoing for 4 days in the region of the Athos mountain threatening for some time the Serbian-orthodox monastery of Hilandar. Hundreds of Greek and Serbian firefighters are in action attempting to extinguish the forest fire near the Athos mountain.

 

Source: German text-TV (ARDtext + ZDFtext) + Swedish SVT Text

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 12 AUGUST 2012 - POST 2

 

 

DEATH TOLL IN CONNECTION WITH FLOODING IN THE PHILIPPINES RISEN TO 85

 

The death toll after the bad weather in the Philippines has risen to at least 85 during the week-end. People are still missing.

 

Days of heavy rain triggered floods and tidal waves. Epidemics might occur.

 

More than 760,000 people were forced to flee the water masses in the affected regions. 8,500 houses were damaged.

 

The bad weather caused million damage to roads / streets and bridges and to the agriculture.

 

Monsoon rain had the effect that the northern islands were under water since last week-end.

 

Source: German ZDFtext

 

 

 

EARTHQUAKE + AFTERSHOCKS IN NORTHWESTERN IRAN DESTROYED NUMEROUS VILLAGES AND ALMOST 300 KILLED AND 5,000 INJURED

 

The earthquake in Iran has first and foremost hit the towns of Ahar, Haris and Varsakan in the province of East-Aserbaijan.

 

At least 6 villages were levelled. 133 other villages were damaged between 50 and 80%.

 

More than 16,000 are estimated to have lost their homes.

 

Despite promises / pledges from the authorities, very little emergency aid has been distributed in the region, and most people do not have tents.Tents have been established for the homeless.

 

The death toll is expected to rise further.

 

At least 36 - other sources speak of 55 - aftershocks were recorded in the region near the Kaspian Sea.

 

The authorities urged the population to leave their houses and spend the night in parks and in open places.

 

More than 1,000 rescue teams freed trapped people from the rubble in the night. Rescue workers are fighting to relieve the victims of their sufferings.

 

Iran is located in a seismologically very active area.

 

OFFERS FOR HELP HAVE BEEN MADE FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD - I.A. FROM GERMANY, TURKEY + the neighbouring country Azerbadjan.

 

According to the Iranian Red Crescent, the country will handle the situation alone. Iran has a great deal of experience of handling similar disasters.

 

Sources: German ZDFtext + Swedish SVT Text

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 13 AUGUST 2012

 

 

UPDATE: THE EARTHQUAKE & AFTERSHOCKS IN NORTHWESTERN IRAN CLAIMED AT LEAST 306 HUMAN LIVES AND 3,037 INJURED - SEVERAL COUNTRIES HAVE OFFERED THEIR HELP, BUT IRAN REFUSES FOREIGN AID

 

After the devastating earthquake (followed by a very strong aftershock with an almost similar magnitude) in northwestern Iran, several countries have offered their help - including Germany and the USA. Also the United Nations declared its solidarity with the Iranian population.

 

The Iranian leadership has refused foreign help saying that Iran was able to handle this disaster.

 

According to an official report for the Iranian parliament and published on its website, the death toll is 306, and 3,037 were injured.

 

Most of the dead were women and children.

 

The magnitudes of the earthquakes (or earthquake and almost as strong aftershock) were 6.4 and 6.3 and destroyed hundreds of villages in the northwestern part of Iran near the city of Tabriz last Saturday.

 

The magnitudes differ dependent on the source (whether stated by US Geological Survey or Iran).

 

16,000 are estimated to have become homeless.

 

Already Sunday afternoon, the Iranian state-run television announced the end of the search for trapped Iranians.

 

In the affected province of East Azerbaijan the authorities decreed a two-day-long mourning.

 

Sources: Norwegian text-TV (NRK News) + German text-tv (ZDFtext + ARDtext)

 

 

MAGNITUDE 6.3 EARTHQUAKE IN WEST CHINA

 

An earthquake occurred In West China. According to the US Geological Service the quake reached a magnitude of 6.3. The epicentre was in the remote border area between the autonomous regions of Xinjiang and Tibet about 280 km from the city of Hotan.

 

No reports of casualties or material damage.

 

The region covers almost 1/6 (one sixth) of the total area of China, but has only 20 million inhabitants.

 

Source: German ARDtext

 

 

2 FIREFIGHTERS KILLED OUTSIDE OF ALICANTE, SPAIN

 

One fireman was killed and 3 other injured during the attempt to extinguish a forest fire outside of the Spanish city of Alicante on Sunday 12.8.12.

 

Later it was reported that one more firefighter has died near Alicante in southeast Spain. The fire has not been extinguished, but contained according to a spokeswoman for the authorities. 600 hectares of land has been destroyed in the region.

 

Spain has been ravaged by a series of enormous forest fires and other wildfires this summer, and the last one broke out in Torre de les Macane forest north of Alicante.

 

130 children had to be evacuated from a camp near the forest fire that was still ravaging the area in the night between Sunday and today, Monday.

 

A forest fire on the island of La Gomera threatens the tourist resort Valle Gran Rey. Both the inhabitants and those on holiday there were urged to leave their homes and hotels due to approaching flames.

 

Temperatures in the past couple of days have been more than 40 degrees Celsius in Spain.

 

Source: Norwegian NRK News + German ARDtext + BBC World News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19241323 )

 

From the BBC article:

 

13 August 2012 Last updated at 14:15 GMT

 

Fire in Spain's Canary Islands forces La Gomera exodus

 

Firefighters are battling a forest fire on La Gomera in Spain's Canary Islands which forced the evacuation of nearly 1,000 people by ferry overnight[/b].

 

The worst affected area on La Gomera is Valle Gran Rey. Road access has been cut by the fire, which has spread with high winds and tinder-dry vegetation.

 

A smaller area is ablaze on Tenerife.

 

On the mainland, two firefighters died while helping to extinguish a wildfire in Torremanzanas, a village north of the eastern coastal town of Alicante.

 

Spain's El Pais news website says eight helicopters and six planes helped firefighters on the ground to douse the Torremanzanas blaze.

 

Aircraft are also being used on La Gomera, where fires are advancing on three fronts.

 

Two boats took 910 people from Valle Gran Rey to La Gomera's main town, San Sebastian. In all, more than 5,000 have been evacuated since Friday.

 

On La Gomera - a less popular holiday destination than Tenerife - officials say the fire has destroyed part of a nature reserve with "incalculable ecological value".

 

Spanish media say about 3,000 people have fled their homes in the Valle Gran Rey area. There are no reports of casualties, but the damage to homes has not yet been assessed.

 

Evacuees are being accommodated temporarily in a school gymnasium.

 

Most tourists are German or Spanish. The island ecosystems have been devastated."

 

Dry winter

 

Spain has been hard hit by forest fires after its driest winter in 70 years. Temperatures on the Canary Islands have soared recently as high as 40C (104F).

 

On La Gomera, the flames have consumed about 750 hectares (1,853 acres) of woodland in the Garajonay nature reserve, a Unesco World Heritage site, some of which is believed to have been in existence for millions of years.

 

Officials have already said it will take at least three decades for the burnt areas of the reserve to recover.

 

In north-western Spain, villages have been evacuated in Ourense, a district of Galicia, where officials say forest fires have now been contained.

 

A big contingent of firefighters, supported by 13 helicopters and 16 planes, tackled the Ourense fires at the weekend. About 1,200 hectares were consumed by fire.

 

 

 

NEW STORM OFF THE PHILIPPINES

 

The situation in the Philippines after the devastating floods is not better: The weather service warns of the next tropical storm - "Kai-Tak" which is heading for the central and northern islands of the Philippines.

 

It is crossing the ocean with storm gusts of up to 80 km per hour.

 

Capital MANILA is threatened again.

 

Last week the MANILA region and the neighbouring 16 provinces at least 92 people died after heavy monsoon rain. Most of them drowned. Some died of electrocution (electric shock).

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 14 AUGUST 2012

 

 

2 RESCUED OUT OF RUBBLE OF THEIR HOUSE IN IRAN / IRAN HAS CHANGED ITS MIND: IRAN WILL NOW ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL AID AFTER THE DOUBLE EARTHQUAKE + AFTERSHOCKS LAST SATURDAY

 

2 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN RESCUED FROM THE RUBBLE OF THEIR RAVAGED HOUSE. Search dogs found them in the rubble of their home in a village near Varzaqan.

 

3 days after the double quake in northwest Iran, the country had decided to accept international aid according to what vice-president Mohamed-Resa Rahimi told the state-run news agency Irna after a visit to the earthquake-hit region. Initially Teheran/government plus Red Crescent had refused the offers of help from i.a. Germany and the USA.

 

306 people were killed and more than 3,000 injured in the two earthquakes that occurred within 11 minutes last Saturday in the province of Aserbaijan.

 

About 5,000 people were injured according to emergency services of which almost 2,000 were taken to hospitals for treatment.

 

Sources: German text-tv (ZDFtext) + Danish TV2 News (text-tv)

 

 

 

POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE - MAGNITUDE 7.3 - SHAKING NORTH JAPAN AND EASTERN PART OF RUSSIA

 

A powerful earthquake shook northern Japan and eastern Russia this morning. According to the Japanese meteorological institute the quake had a magnitude of 7.3 whereas the US Geological Survey (USGS) stated the magnitude to be 7.5 (NRK: 7.7).

 

The epicentre was off the coast of HOKKAIDO in the Sea of Okhotsh (between Russia and Japan). The epicentre was 158 km northeast of Poronajsk in Russia (NRK News).

 

The quake stretched from off the Russian east coast to the northern Japan according to the USGS.

 

It occurred 580 km below the surface of the earth and thus at big depth.

 

No tsunami warning was issued.

 

There are no reports of casualties or material damaged.

 

The quake stretched from off the Russian east coast to the northern Japan [/b][/color]- so sources in the USA.

 

On 11 March 2011, a magnitude 9.0 quake and an ensuing tsunami shook Japan killing thousands and crippling a nuclear power plant in Fukushima.

 

Sources: German text-tv (ARDtext + ZDFtext) + Swedish SVT Text + Norwegian NRK News (text-tv)

 

 

THE SITUATION IN THE CANARIAN ISLANDS OF SPAIN IMPROVED SOMEWHAT

 

10 days after the outbreak of an enormous forest fire on the island of La Gomera, the fire has only spread slowly and is mainly ongoing in the northern part of the Canarian island.

 

According to the Spanish rescue service some of the 5,000 inhabitants that had been forced to leave their homes have been allowed to return home.

 

Spain has had extremely dry weather this year. 2012 has seen most fires for 10 years.

 

The flames have consumed 4,000 hectares of forest including hundred hectares in the Garajonay national park / nature reserve.

 

In the first 7 months of 2012, flames have consumed 132,000 hectares of land.

 

Source: German ZDFtext + ARDtext

 

 

AT LEAST 28 DEAD IN NIGERIA AFTER FLOODS

 

At least 28 people have died in NIGERIA in connection with massive flooding following heavy rainfalls.

 

Numerous people are missing, said a spokesman for the authorities in the district of Shendam in the central state of Plateau.

 

A Red Cross spokesman in the flood-hit region said that the floods had destroyed numerous bridges, homes and agricultural areas - so the news agency AFP. The affected areas were difficult to get access to, many people have become homeless.

 

About 1,500 people have been forced to flee.

 

In JULY, a reservoir had burst its banks after heavy rainfalls killing 35 people in the floods.

 

Sources: German text-TV + Norwegian NRK News (text-tv)

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 15 AUGUST 2012

 

 

HEAT CAUSES FOREST FIRES IN SOUTHERN EUROPA

 

The continuous heat results in new forest fires in southern Europe.

 

After a series of fires on the Canarian Islands (Spain), fires are ongoing near Italian GENUA / GENOVA. According to media reports, the flames threaten several houses. The meteorologists forecast high temperatures - up to 40+ degrees Celsius.

 

Heatwaves in the Balkans resulted in several forest fires.

 

The series of forest fires in the Canarian Islands continue. After the fires on the island of La Gomera, a new fire has broken out on the neighbouring island of Tenerife.

 

Source: German ZDFtext

 

 

 

MORE THAN 60 FOREST AND WILD FIRES IN THE WESTERN USA

 

Worst hit are the coastal states of WASHINGTON, OREGON and CALIFORNIA.

 

The state of Washington is in the worst situation where the flames have consumed 70 houses according to broadcaster CNN. 900 people had to leave their homes.

 

There were also numerous fires in the state of IDAHO caused by the very dry weather and the heat of almost 40 degrees Celsius. The high temperatures have made the fight against the fire difficult.

 

Source: German ARDtext

 

 

 

STORM RESULTS IN CHAOS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE PHILIPPINES - 3 DIED IN FLASH FLOODS + LANDSLIDES

 

One week has passed since the devastating monsoon rain and flooding. Now a new storm has led to chaos and misery on the Philippines.

 

3 people have died in flash floods and landslides in the northern part of the Philippines - according to the authorities.

 

Before sunrise, the tropical storm "Kai-Tak" had swept the northeast coast with wind gusts up to 90 km per hour.

 

In the provinces of La Union and Pangasinan 3,555 people had to be rescued because flash floods threatened their houses.

 

The capital MANILA got big amounts of rain, and the storm triggered landslides in mountain areas on the island of Luzon.

 

The new rainfall came while people tried to repair the damage caused by massive flooding last week when 95 people died.

 

Sources: German ARDtext + Norwegian NRK News (text-Tv)