NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 16 AUGUST 2012

 

INCREASING NUMBER OF FOREST FIRES IN WESTERN USA

 

More than 70 forest and bush fires are ongoing in the western USA.

 

According to US forest authorities the following US states are worst hit: WASHINGTON, OREGON, CALIFORNIA, NEVADA, UTAH and IDAHO.

 

8,000 firefighters were in action in California alone.

 

Hot winds and the very dry weather with temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius stimulate the flames.

 

The hot weather is forecast to continue for some days at least.

 

Sources: German ZDFtext

 

 

7 DEATHS IN THE PHILIPPINES AFTER TROPICAL STORM

 

The tropical storm "Kai-Tak" has claimed 7 human lives and forced at least 10,000 people out of their villages.

 

Today / Thursday 16.8.12 also saw heavy rain over the northern part of the Philippines.

 

The storm is now heading CHINA after having caused floodings and landslides on the island of Luzon in the northern part of the Philippines.

 

Rivers burst their banks, and in some communities the water rose up to 1,50m.

 

More major main roads were under water and could not be used.

 

The aid agencies are working to reach the homeless.

 

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

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 18 AUGUST 2012

 

 

FOREST FIRES IN FRANCE WEST OF BORDEAUX AND IN THE USA, IN PARTICULAR IN STATE OF WASHINGTON.

 

Strong winds and temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius make it difficult to extinguish the fires.

 

Also wildfires in the USA, in particular in the state of WASHINGTON

 

Source: Danish TV2 News, live

 

 

FOREST FIRES IN SOUTHERN EUROPE NOW BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL WEEKS

 

There is no improvement in sight: There are forest fires in the Spanish island of La Gomera, in Greece, Italy and Croatia - and in southern France.

 

Source: German ARDtext

 

 

FOREST FIRE ON THE ISLAND OF LA GOMERA IS "THE WORK OF ENVIRONMENTAL TERRORISTS"

 

The devastating forest fire on the Canarian island of La Gomera is according to the director of the Garajonay national park (nature reserve) "the work of environmental terrorists". "Since May these people have tried - over and over - to start fires" - so Angel Fernandez, the director of the park told the Spanish newspaper "El Pais". "So far it has been possible to extinguish the fires in time, but now they have reached their goal".

 

There are several speculations as to the motives including that the drug mafia would distract the police.

 

The national park is part of the world heritage.

 

Source: German ZDFtext + ARDtext

 

 

 

WEAK EARTHQUAKE IN THE SPANISH ISLAND OF TENERIFE

 

A magnitude 3.8 earthquake has shaken the northern part of the Spanish holiday island Tenerife. Noone is reported injured. No reports of material damage.

 

The tremors frightened the inhabitants in several communities. The tremors could be felt in the capital of the island = Santa Cruz, in La Orotrava and Candelaria.

 

The quake was followed by 2 aftershocks (magnitude 2.8 and 2.6).

 

The epicentre of all 3 tremors was by El Sauzal in the northern part of the island.

 

Source: German ARDtext

 

 

POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE (MAGNITUDE 6.6) HITTING THE INDONESIAN ISLAND OF SULAWESI

 

Today (Saturday 18.8.12), the province Central Sulawesi on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi was hit by a powerful earthquake that was measured at magnitude 6.6 on the Richter scale. It occurred 20 km below the surface of the earth around 56 km south-east of the town of Palu.

 

There are no reports of damage or casualties caused by the quake that occurred at 17.40 local time.

 

According to an AFP reporter, inhabitants fled out of their homes in panic after the tremors that lasted for a few seconds.

 

Source: Norwegian NRK News

 

 

 

AT LEAST 4 KILLED AS TYPHOON KAI-TAK SWEPT ACROSS NORTHERN VIETNAM

 

The typhoon caused floodings and strong winds in i.a. the capital Hanoi. It reached land late

on Friday, and continued its ravaging on Saturday.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 19 AUGUST 2012

 

 

FLASHFLOOD DESTROYED SETTLEMENT IN LAGOS, NIGERIA

 

A flashflood has flooded a shantytown in the Nigerian economic / financial big city of Lagos. At least one resident in Kuramo Beach on the Atlantic coast has been killed by the sudden rise of water yesterday - Saturday 18.8. 15 other are missing according to the authorities. Rescuers had evacuated the settlement. About 100 people have become homeless.

 

A dead body was washed ashore. The water ran into about 30 huts.

 

Source: German ARDtext

 

 

FIRE FOREST IN TOSCANA EXTINGUISHED

 

A campsite with about 1,100 tourists in Toscana has been evacuated as a precautionary measure due to a forest fire.

 

As the smoke from the fire reached the the campsite "Il Sole" by Marina di Grosseto Saturday evening, the authorities decreed evacuation. Most campers spent the night in a shopping centre according to news agency Ansa.

 

Today, Sunday 19.8 the flames were more or less under control. 3 aircrafts were in action as support for the fire brigade.

 

Source: German ARDtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 20 AUGUST 2012

 

 

INDONESIA: A magnitude 6.3 earthquake southeast of the town of PALU on the island of SULAWESI claimed 4 human lives this past week-end.

 

165 houses were destroyed during the quake.

 

Source: Swedish SVTtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 21 AUGUST 2012

 

 

100,000 FLEEING WATER IN NIGER WHERE 31 HAVE DIED IN WATER MASSES

 

Ten thousands of people are fleeing enormous water masses in several west-African countries where this year's monsoon rain has set in.

 

Worst hit is NIGER where 31 people have died in the water masses within few days and where close to 100,000 have been forced to leave their houses / homes.

 

The flooding has hit all parts of Niger, and many have become homeless according to Modibo Traore, head of the UN organization OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs).

 

President Mohamadou Issou has visited the region and has promised to send emergency aid to the affected regions.

 

Source: Danish text-tv / DR.dk / news

 

 

FIREFIRES IN SPAIN CONTINUE - A DEATH TOLL OF 9 THIS SUMMER

 

Source: Danish TV2 News live

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 22 AUGUST 2012

 

MASSIVE FLOODING IN RUSSIA CLAIMED AT LEAST 4 HUMAN LIVES

 

At least 4 have died and many are missing in the Russian republic of Krasnodar after a massive cloudburst and ensuing flooding during the night between Tuesday and Wednesday.

 

Several floods have burst their banks causing substantial material damage according to the Russian ministry for the civil preparedness.

 

In the town of Novomikhailovskij more than 600 houses are under water. There are power cuts, and the supply of water is cut in several regions, and many roads are under water and impassable.

 

1,500 people have been evacuated.

 

171 died in that region some weeks ago - around 7 July - due to another flooding that also resulted in some policians being fired. .

 

Sources: Danish TV2 News / Nyhederne.tv2.dk + Norwegian NRK News

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 24 AUGUST 2012

 

 

DOZENS OF DEATHS - AT LEAST 44 - IN NIGER AFTER HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODINGS

 

At least 44 have died due to massive floodings in the west-African Niger. Thousands have become homeless and need urgent support according to UN's World Food Programme.

 

The river NIGER has burst its banks after heavy rainfalls and has flooded parts of the capital Niamey and other regions.

 

Areas have also been flooded in neighbouring Burkina Faso. Thousands hectares of agricultural land has been affected.

 

Source: German ARDtext

 

 

THE TROPICAL STORM "ISAK" HEADING FOR HAITI + THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

 

The tropical storm named ISAK was today heading for Haiti and the Dominican Republic. There is a great risk that Isak will develop into a hurricane according to the US hurricane centre.

 

The storm is expected to gain strength when it crosses the Gulf of Mexico.

 

It should be able to develop to a hurricane when ig approaches the island of Hispaniola which houses both HAITI and the Dominican Republic. But it may also weaken as soon as it reaches land.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 25 AUGUST 2012

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19365052

 

25 August 2012 Last updated at 18:09 GMT

 

Tropical Storm Isaac heads for Cuba after lashing Haiti

 

A tropical storm is rolling towards Cuba after bringing flood misery to the south coast of Haiti, where four people were killed.

 

The Cuban government has declared a state of alert in six provinces and evacuated thousands of people from high-risk areas.

 

There were no immediate reports of major damage in Haiti but heavy rain continued after the storm passed.

 

The US state of Florida has issued a storm warning on its coast.

 

Officials organised shelters and urged holiday-makers to leave the Florida Keys as Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency to make sure emergency services would be ready when the storm made landfall on Sunday.

 

Further north, Tampa is preparing to host the US Republican National Convention on Monday but weather forecasters believe it is unlikely Isaac will hit the city head-on.

 

'Sleeping in mud'

 

In HAITI, a girl of 10 died when a wall fell on her in the capital, Port-au-Prince. The British aid charity Oxfam said it knew of three other deaths.

 

The poorest country in the Americas is still recovering from the devastating 2010 earthquake and many of the 400,000 people still living in tent cities had no option but to weather the storm under canvas.

 

"From last night, we're in misery," Cite Soleil resident Jean-Gymar Joseph told the Associated Press news agency.

 

"All our children are sleeping in the mud, in the rain."

 

At one site, more than 50 tents collapsed, forcing people to search the mud for their belongings.

 

 

THE TROPICAL STORM ISAAC REACH HAITI SATURDAY MORNING CAUSING MASSIVE LANDSLIDES AND FLOODINGS. Parts of the capital Port-au-Prince were flooded.

 

A 10-year-old girl died when the water masses ravaged part of the tent camps where more than 400,000 people are still living after the earthquake in January 2010. The aid agencies have warned of water-borne diseases such as cholera.

 

Haiti's PM admitted that the authorities' ability to help those in need were "very limited".

 

Source: Swedish SVT text, but also Norway, Denmark and German media have mentioned the ravaging of the storm in Haiti and that it is heading for Cuba and Florida.

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 26 AUGUST 2012

 

 

HURRICAN "ISAAC" HAS REACHED FLORIDA KEYS - WARNING FOR LOUISIANA

 

The tropical storm "Isaac" reached Florida Keys (a range of islands) Sunday afternoon (local time). US television showed footage / pictures of flooded streets, but there are no reports of substantial damage.

 

Meteorologists expect "Isaac" to gain strength, and maybe it will reach the mainland as a category 2 or 3 hurricane late Tuesday evening.

 

The threatened area includes New Orleans that was hit by hurricane "Katrina" in 2005. More than 1,500 people died.

 

The tropical storm threatens the US state of FLORIDA, and the republican party in the US has decided to postpone its convention in the town of Tampa to Tuesday.

 

Last Saturday, the authorities in Florida declared a state of emergency.

 

Last Saturday, the storm resulted in chaos in HAITI and then moved on to CUBA.

 

Source: German ZDFtext + Norwegian NRK News

 

 

1 DEAD AND 2 INJURED AFTER BAD WEATHER IN NORTH ITALY

 

Heavy rain in North Italy has triggered floods, landslides and power cuts.

 

A car driver lost his life in Padua as a uprooted tree landed on his car.

 

Falling trees injured 2 campers in Verbania by Lago Maggiore. According to news agency Ansa, dozens of people were forced to leave their homes due to the water masses.

 

The bad weather with heavy rain and very strong winds followed a long period with very hot weather. It is still dry and hot in South Italy.

 

Sources: German ZDFtext + ARDtext

 

 

TYPHOON "BOLAVEN" HAS CAUSED POWER OUTAGES IN THOUSANDS OF JAPANESE HOUSEHOLDS

 

A powerful typhoon named "Bolaven" has caused power outages in almost 20,000 households in South Japan. According to news agency Jiji this Sunday, 4 people were injured in the prefecture of Okinawa after that the typhoon reached land.

 

TAIWAN prepared for the return of typhoon "Tembin".

 

More than 8,000 people had been evacuated in Taiwan last week due to "Tembin".

 

The clean-up operation in houses filled with mud continued this Sunday.

 

Source: German ZDFtext

 

 

Sunday morning I read about a SERBIAN FOREST FIRE from German text-tv.

 

 

BIG FIRE IN SOUTH FRANCE

 

An area of about 500 hectares has been destroyed by a fire in South France this Sunday. Affected by fires are forests and bushes as well as agricultural land are all affected by fires..

 

The fire in the Orgon area in South-east Avignon was stimulated by the hot Mistral wind - the cause is however not clear.

 

More than 900 firefighters were in action. A camp site was evacuated shortly after the outbreak of the fire this morning. 70 people who fled the ash rain were taken to a farm.

 

Source: German ARDtext

 

 

FLOODS IN BURMA

 

85,000 have been forced to leave their homes since the worst floods for years drowned hundred thousands hectar rice fields. No deaths reported, but the consequences are expected to be serious in relation to next year's harvest of rice.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text

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USA ISSUES HURRICANE WARNING / LOUISIANA IS THREATENED 7 YEARS AFTER KATRINA

 

USA's national hurricane centre has issued a warning of hurricane in the northern part of the Gulf of Mexico from LOUISIANA to the north-western part of FLORIDA.

 

ISAAC is still defined as a tropical storm after having passed across HAITI and CUBA.

 

Sunday evening central European time it moved across Florida Keys - a group of islands south of the US sunshine state FLORIDA.

 

But it moves across warmer water in the Gulf of Mexico and gains strength. It is expected to develop into a category 2 storm.

 

Louisiana is threatened 7 years after the devastating KATRINA.

 

Source: Danish text-tv + TV2 News live

 

 

MAGNITUDE 7.3 RICHTER EARTHQUAKE OFF EL SALVADOR / TSUNAMI ALERT ISSUED FOR ALL CENTRAL-AMERICAN COUNTRIES AND MEXICO

 

A powerful magnitude 7.3 earthquake shook a region in the Pacific off El Salvador's coast early Monday according USGS (US Geological Surveys).

 

The epicentre of the tremors that occurred at 6:37 central European time is 111 km south of the city of Puerto El Triunfo in El Salvador.

 

According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre the quake occurred at a depth of 54 km, and the centre issued a tsunami warning for all central-American countries (Guatemala, Belize,

Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama) plus Mexico.

[/b].

 

According to the centre, the quake has issued a tsunami.

 

 

EDIT: El Salvador has downgraded the tremor to magnitude 6.7 - no reports of damage.

 

According to the Director of the Civil Defence there is no risk of a tsunami.

 

Source: Danish text-tv on dr.dk/news and German ARDtext with the latest news

 

 

10 DEATHS IN NIGERIA IN CONNECTION WITH FLOODING

 

In connection with flooding in north-east NIGERIA, at least 10 people have died according to the authorities.

 

Many people are cut off from the outside world due to high water (flood)ing in the state of Adamawa.

 

One of the reasons for the flooding is that in neighbouring CAMEROUN water has been released from (let out of) a dam.

Thousands have become homeless.

 

Recently, at least 68 people died in floods in the Nigerian state of Plateau.

 

Source: German ARDtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 27 AUGUST 2012

 

 

HURRICANE ALERT IN LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, ALABAMA + FLORIDA

 

The tropical storm "Isaac" is moving across the Gulf of Mexico and is now heading for USA's mainland.

 

"Isaac" has arrived in the US state of FLORIDA with heavy rainfalls and strong winds, but has spared TAMPA in Florida.

 

Experts expect the tropical storm to reach the US Gulf coast as a category 1 storm (some talk of category 2 storm) Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning (local time).

 

The national hurricane centre warns of dangerous waves, heavy rainfalls and storm damage.

 

The governors in the US states of LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI and ALABAMA have issued crisis alerts because of the threatening tropical storm "Isaac" -

one day after FLORIDA issued a hurricane / crisis alert.

 

That means that all US states around the Gulf of Mexico - apart from Texas - have declared STATE of EMERGENCY.

 

The US hurricane warning centre NHC issued hurricane warning from LOUISIANA to the northwestern part of FLORIDA.

 

NHC believes that "Isaac" will hit the coast somewhere between Florida and Louisiana mid-week.

 

President Barack Obama has declared a state of emergency / disaster in Louisiana which means federal money for the preparedness.

 

Citizens living close to the coast in MISSISSIPPI and ALABAMA have been ordered to leave their homes. In NEW ORLEANS it is still voluntary.

 

"Isaac" has killed at least 21 people when it swept across the Caribbean - 19 of the deaths occurred in HAITI and 2 in the Dominican Republic.

 

300 houses were totally destroyed in HAITI - most of them in the town of Jacmel on the south coast of the country.

 

About 15,000 people have been evacuated before the arrival of "Isaac".

 

The course of "Isaac" is almost identical with the course of the massive hurricane "KATRINA" 7 years ago.

 

It is expected to hit LOUISIANA on Tuesday, and Louisiana is prepared and in high alert .

 

Sources: German ZDFtext + ARDtext + Norwegian NRK News + Swedish SVT Text + Danish text-tv (DR.dk/News + TV2 News) and TV2 Live

 

 

NO TSUNAMI ALERT IN EL SALVADOR AFTER POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE OFF EL SALVADOR's COAST

 

A powerful earthquake occurred off the coast of El Salvador in the night between Sunday and Monday. According to USGS / US Geological Survey, the magnitude of the quake was 7.4 (some media say 7.3). That makes it the fifth most powerful earthquake in the world this year.

 

A tsunami alert was issued for Central America and Mexico, but was later raised again. A small tsunami was triggered after the quake. There is no report of casualties (deaths/injured) or damage to buildings or infrastructure.

 

The epicentre was 138 km off the coast at a depth of 53 km according to the USGS.

 

Dozens of small quakes had shaken the southeastern California and Arizona Sunday. The most powerful tremor was recorded 5 km northwest of the town of Brawley and had a magnitude of 5.5 (some media say 5.4). These tremors could be felt from San Diego in California to eastern Arizona.

 

Sources: German ARDtext + Norwegian NRK News + SVT Text

 

 

MASS ESCAPE FROM FLOODING IN MYANMAR aka. BURMA

 

Heavy monsoon rain in Myanmar / Burma has forced several thousand people to flee their homes according to the authorities in the country.

 

More than 68,000 people are living in 308 emergency camps spread over the country according to the authority in charge of crisis response in Myanmar/Burma.

 

No lives are lost in the flooding in the region so far this year, but 2 men died in Lashio in the eastern state of Shan earlier this month.

 

More than 54,000 hectares of cultivated land is under water.

 

 

 

 

Source: Norwegian NRK News

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 29 AUGUST 2012

 

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

 

29 August 2012 Last updated at 22:18 GMT

 

Weakened Isaac lashes New Orleans

 

The US city of New Orleans faces the wrath of newly downgraded Tropical Storm Isaac, as sea water breaches a levee in an area south of the city.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19407265

 

29 August 2012 Last updated at 21:03 GMT

 

Isaac breaks levee near sodden New Orleans

 

Hurricane Isaac has weakened to a tropical storm, but is continuing to pummel New Orleans with strong winds and drenching rain.

 

Isaac is soaking the US Gulf Coast exactly seven years after the devastating Hurricane Katrina, but is much less powerful.

 

An overnight curfew has been declared by the mayor of New Orleans.

 

Its multi-billion-dollar barriers have stood firm, but sea water has breached a levee in a town south of the city.

 

At 14:00 local time (19:00 GMT), the centre of the storm was 55 miles (90km) south-south-east of the city of Baton Rouge, and 50 miles (80km) west-south-west of New Orleans, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

 

'Serious flooding'

 

The ponderous storm, moving at about 6 mph, could take most of the day to travel as far as Baton Rouge, a town 70 miles to the north-west of New Orleans.

 

The storm was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm on Wednesday afternoon.

 

But Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal told reporters on Wednesday that the state would be dealing with Isaac "through early Friday morning".

 

Caitlin Campbell, a spokeswoman for Plaquemines Parish - where Isaac first touched down - said water was running over an 18-mile (29-km) stretch of the levee and some homes were flooded.

 

The overtopped 8ft-high levee in the east of Plaquemines Parish is not part of the upgraded federal system protecting New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

 

After hitting Plaquemines, the then-category one hurricane headed back out to sea, before making a second landfall further west at Port Fourchon at about 02:00 (07:00 GMT) local time.

 

There were reports of serious flooding and people stranded by rising waters in the Braithwaite area, just across the Mississippi river from metropolitan New Orleans.

 

Waiting out the storm

 

Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser said the damage wrought by Isaac was worse than Katrina.

 

"I don't know who's calling this a category 1, but this is no category 1," Mr Nungesser said. "My house has more damage than it did during Katrina."

 

Strong winds were hampering full-scale air and water rescue efforts in the area, but the BBC's Alastair Leithead reports local residents were trying to make rescues with small boats. The National Guard was also set to launch a rescue effort.

 

Storm surges are still a concern, with peaks of up to 12ft (3.7m) forecast in parts of Mississippi and south-eastern Louisiana.

 

Rainfall of up to 1ft 8in is expected across wide areas, with a high chance of isolated tornadoes along the coast.

 

The bowl-shaped city of New Orleans is particularly vulnerable to storms, with the centre of the city the furthest below sea-level.

 

Many residents of New Orleans have chosen to secure their homes but stay put, saying they were not too concerned by Isaac.

 

Officials are urging residents who have not evacuated to stay in place until high winds weaken.

 

President Barack Obama has declared an emergency in Louisiana and Mississippi, allowing federal funds to be released to local authorities.

 

About 600,000 people were without power across five states, the majority in Louisiana, as of Wednesday afternoon.

 

Isaac killed at least 24 people as it passed over Haiti and the Dominican Republic earlier this week.

 

It also caused significant flooding and damage across the Caribbean and forced a day's delay to the start of the Republican party's congress in Tampa, Florida.

 

 

Alastair Leithead / BBC News, New Orleans

 

Hurricanes don't just hit, they hang around, and from here in New Orleans it feels like Isaac is hanging around longer than most.

 

As soon as Hurricane Isaac hit land it slowed down and has spent hours crawling along the coast heading west and north from where it first struck.

 

First light here in the high-lying French Quarter revealed little about the extent of the flooding - it will be hours before a proper assessment can begin.

 

Some of the highest winds and heaviest bands of rain have hit New Orleans and the surrounding parishes, and the storm surge has been testing the city's new defences.

 

It's always hard to know which areas have been worst hit, but the difference seven years on from Hurricane Katrina is the video and mobile phone footage which is being posted on social media sites.

 

German ZDFtext: POWER OUTAGES IN MISSISSIPPI, ALABAMA and ARKANSAS. For some time more than ½ million people were sitting in the dark.

 

German ARDtext: "Isaac" made landfall on the US Gulf coast with windgusts of 130 km per hour and had triggered floodings south of Louisiana. More than 700,000 households are without power.

 

 

HURRICANE "BOLAVEN" CLAIMING 17 HUMAN LIVES IN SOUTH KOREA

 

The hurricane "Bolaven" has claimed at least 17 human lives in South Korea according to the authorities in Seoul. It is feared that the death toll will rise. The hurricane triggered chaos in South Korea before it headed for North Korea.

 

Among the dead was a man who was crushed by a truck that blew off the road. A woman was killed by a church tower that fell through the roof of her house during the hurricane.

 

Bolaven - the worst hurricane in South Korea for more than 10 years - uprooted trees, overthrew street lamps and cut the power for more than 200,000 South-Korean homes.

 

Later this week, a tropical storm will appear in the region.

 

North Korea was also affected by the typhoon "Bolaven", but no death toll has been published. Substantial damage to agricultural areas has been reported in a country already struggling to feed its population.

 

Source: Danish TV2 News / Nyhederne.tv2.dk + Norwegian NRK News

 

 

 

STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED IN RHODOS, GREECE DUE TO FOREST FIRES

 

The Greek authorities have declared EMERGENCY after devastating forest fires on the island of Rhodos. According to the authorities, more than 500 hectares of forest and bushes burned in the northern part of the island by Soroni.

 

The fire brigade tries to get the flames under control using aircrafts and helicopters. Additional firefighters were sent from Athens to Rhodos.

 

Forest fires have also broken out in the northwestern Peloponnes, on Crete and in central Greece.

 

Source: German ARDtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 30 AUGUST 2012

 

 

MASSIVE EVACUATION IN LOUISIANA / CURFEW IN NEW ORLEANS LIFTED

 

Today, the authorities in the US state of LOUISIANA decreed a massive evacuation along the Tangipahoa river where there was a risk of a dam breach in neighbouring state of MISSISSIPPI. The evacuation affects about 60,000 people.

 

In NEW ORLEANS, the cloudburst in connection with the tropical storm of Isaac tested the restored and newly buildt protective walls. The defense was able to keep the attacking water masses of the sea back.

 

The nightly curfew introduced in New Orleans yesterday due to the hurricane "Isaac" is lifted tonight.

 

"Isaac" is no longer such a danger to the inhabitants in New Orleans that curfew from sunset to sunrise is necessary.

 

Isaac has weakened to a tropical storm over the US state of Louisiana and did not repeat Katrina's devastating passage 7 years ago.

 

The region to be evacuated is not far away from the border to the US state MISSISSIPPI.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text

 

 

POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE EAST OF GREENLAND / NEAR JAN MAYEN

 

A quake that was measured at magnitude 6.6 occurred in the Atlantic east of Greenland. Simultaneously, a quake was felt in Iceland's capital Reykjavik. It was measured at magnitude 4.6.

 

The quake was located to a sea area about 9 miles from the Olonkin town - the only inhabited place on the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen. There is 70 miles from the quake area to Akureyri on Iceland.

Noone living on the island of Jan Mayen was damaged by the quake. The tremor was 8.5 km deep.

 

Initially, the US Geological Survey measured the quake to 7.0, but later downgraded it to 6.6.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text + Norwegian NRK News

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 31 AUGUST 2012

 

 

MASSIVE FOREST FIRE ON COSTA DEL SOL, SPAIN

 

Costa del Sol is right now ravaged by a massive forest fire affecting 6 municipalities in the province of MALAGA including particularly the towns, Coin and Ojén. This is reported by the Spanish newspaper Elmundo.

 

The fire broke out thursday, and during the night it has spread. Now it has a total length of 12 km - the fire is spreading quickly because of winds, high temperatures and low humidity. At 2 o'clock last night a state of EMERGENCY was declared, and several thousand people near the Spanish tourist resort Marbella have been evacuated.

 

The fire can be seen from vast parts of the Costa del Sol. The fire has 10-15m high flames according to Angel Nozal who is mayor in Mijas between Marbella and Malaga.

 

The fire has claimed at least 1 human life, and at least 8 have been injured.

 

Source: Danish TV2 News / nyhederne.tv2.dk + Swedish SVT Text

 

 

NO MORE FEAR OF A TSUNAMI FOLLOWING A POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE IN THE PACIFIC OFF THE PHILIPPINES - ALERT RAISED / 1 DEAD

 

According to the US Geological Survey, the magnitude of the quake east of the Philippines was 7.6. The quake occurred 100 km / 14 miles east of the town Guiuan in the Filipino Samar province at a depth of 32 km according to Reuters.

 

US seismologists have announced that the tsunami alerts for Indonesia and the Philippines have been raised.

 

Earlier, the alerts were raised for Japan and Taiwan and several groups of islands.

 

Earlier there were reports of destroyed bridges and roads after the quake off the Philippines, and people fled the area fearing a possible tsunami, but only small waves (16 cm high) hit the beaches in the southern and eastern Philippines.

 

In the Philippines the population was urged to seek higher ground.

 

One man died on the east coast of the Philippines. Several houses collapsed. Several roads and bridges have been destroyd.

 

In the provinces closest to the epicentre there have been reports of power cuts and several damage on houses.

 

According to the authorities the quake could be felt in all of the eastern part of the Philippines.

 

The epicentre was 136 km east of the town of Sulangen in the island of Samar.

 

Source: Danish TV2 News (text-tv + live) + Swedish SVT Text + Swedish SV4 text + Norwegian NRK+ German text-TV (ZDFtext / ARDtext)

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 1 SEPTEMBER 2012

 

 

UN SECRETARY-GENERAL WARNS OF CHOLERA EPIDEMICS IN HAITI

 

UN's secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, warns that Haiti has difficulties in handling the cholera epidemics that has claimed thousands of human lives.

 

The conditions in the tent(ed) camps are getting worse and worse as the aid agencies are leaving Haiti due to shortage of funds/money.

 

In a report to the Security Council, the secretary-general writes that the number of cholera cases has risen since the rainy season started early in March.

 

The World Health Organization, WHO, estimates that the death toll may reach 112,000 cases in 2012.

 

Source: Danish TV2 News (nyhederne.tv2.dk)

 

 

4,000 PEOPLE CAN RETURN HOME AFTER FIRE CLOSE TO MARBELLA IN SPAIN

 

Almost 4,000 people that had fled a deadly forest fire close to the Spanish holiday resort Marbella could go home Saturday when the fire brigade succeeded in getting the flames under control.

 

The fire and the ensuing thick layer of smoke has claimed one human life, i.e. the life of a 54-year-old GERMAN and not as initially reported the life of a 78-year-old British man. The fire also injured 5 other people, 2 of them severely, near Costa del Sol in southern Spain.

 

The body of the dead man was found in a house near the village of Ojén near Marbella - an area that the Spanish authorities had ordered evacuated.

 

According to the Spanish press news agency Europa Press, the dead body of the fire victim was - the 54-year-old German - had been mistaken for a 78-year-old British man. The forest fire at Costa del Sol had broken out Thursday.

 

According to the authorities the fire should have been started by someone!!

 

Source: Danish TV2 News (nyhederne.tv2.dk) + German text-tv (ZDFtext + ARDtext)

 

 

HARDLY ANY DAMAGE CAUSED BY EARTHQUAKE IN THE PHILIPPINES / 139 AFTERSHOCKS

 

Apparently, the powerful earthquake off the Philippines has not caused any substantial damage. There were no reports of major damage from the villages along the east coast - according to the Civil Defence that sent emergency helpers to all affected regions.

 

A lady had died in a flash flood triggered by the quake.

 

The quake had a magnitude of 7.6. The epicentre was about 100 km off the east coast. The institute for Volcanology recorded 139 aftershocks of which the most powerful had a magnitude of 6.4 whereas the main quake was measured to have a magnitude of 7.6.

 

The tsunami that was triggered Friday was no higher than ½ m, but the quake damaged bridges and buildings and caused landslides.

One 1 death has been confirmed - a woman in her sixties died when she tried to save her grandchild during a landslide.

 

Source: German ARDtext + Swedish SVT Text + Danish text-tv

[nancyk58]

News in relation to natural disasters on 4 September 2012

 

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/breaking-news/30427-hundreds-of-homes-damaged-in-ph-quake

 

Hundreds of homes damaged in PH quake

 

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines: More than 800 homes and businesses were damaged when a 5.6-magnitude earthquake rocked the southern Philippines early on Tuesday, officials said.

 

Cracks snaked across walls and roofs collapsed when the quake struck the southern island of Mindanao before dawn, said Patrick Callanta, operations chief of the civil defense office in Cagayan de Oro city.

 

One person was injured by falling debris.

 

"Houses and commercial buildings suffered cracks on their walls or floors. Some roofs collapsed," Callanta told Agence France-Presse by telephone. "The quake struck while people slept."

 

Disaster officials in the region said 544 houses, shops and other commercial buildings sustained damage in Valencia city, populated by 163,000 people.

 

The lone casualty was hit by falling debris in the adjacent town of Maramag, where 316 buildings were damaged, Callanta said.

 

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said that the quake struck at 3:44am (1944 GMT, Monday) and the epicenter was plotted near Maramag, a town of about 90,000 people.

 

The Philippines sits on the Pacific Rim of Fire—a belt around the Pacific Ocean dotted by active volcanoes and unstable ocean trenches.

 

A 7.6-magnitude quake hit the country's east coast late on Friday, triggering a tsunami alert that forced more than 130,000 to flee their homes and causing a landslide that killed one person in Cagayan de Oro.

 

A 5.9 quake also struck at sea off Mindanao on Monday, but caused no damage or casualties.

[Destrokk]

does anybody even read these?

[nancyk58]

does anybody even read these?

 

 

I was not sure, so I asked Raphaële who visited Copenhagen last week. She said that she read these and knew other coldplayers who did as well - and she asked me to continue doing so.

 

So the answer to your question is: YES.

 

And I know that there are some Filipino coldplayers here - some of them are not living in the Philippines, but working abroad.

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 5 SEPTEMBER 2012

 

POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE IN COSTA RICA - MAGNITUDE 7.6 - 2 DEATHS

 

A powerful earthquake - magnitude 7.6 - occurred today in the northwestern Costa Rica.

 

Initially there was no report of casualties according to a spokesman for Red Cross in Costa Rica, but later it was revealed that 2 people have died.

 

Schools were evacuated and the quake shook buildings and disconnected power and telecommunication cables in parts of the capital, San José - according to news agency Reuters.

 

According to US Geological Survey (USGS) the quake occurred one mile northeast of Hojancha and in western part of the country about 140 km from the capital, San José.

 

For some time there was a tsunami alert in force for the entire Pacific coast from Mexico to Chile, but after a few hours the tsunami alert could be lifted again.

 

According to a map over the area, the quake struck on land near the Pacific coast in the Guanacaste province.

 

In connection with an earthquake of magnitude 7.6 in 1991, 47 people died in Costa Rica.

 

Sources: Swedish SVT Text + German ZDFtext

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 7 SEPTEMBER 2012

 

2 CHINESE EARTHQUAKES CLAIMED AT LEAST 64 LIVES - SEVERAL AFTERSHOCKS AND LANDSLIDES

 

At least 64 people died, and at least 700 have been injured, and 20,000 houses were damaged as 2 earthquakes and a series of aftershocks shook the mountainous southwestern China Friday - so state-run Xinjua with local authorities in the worst-hit region Yiliang in the Yunnan province as sources. Hundred thousand were made homeless. The epicentre was on the border between the southwestern provinces Yunnan and Guizhou.

 

The quake caused many collapses of buildings, roads were destroyed and triggered landslide. 100,000 have been evacuated in Yunnan.

 

One of the tremors that shook the border region between the provinces Yunnan and Guizhou was measured at magnitude 5.7. It occurred at a depth of 14 km according to the official news agency Xinhua with reference to China's Earthquake Network Centre. US Geological Survey (USGS) measured the quake's magnitude at 5.6 and reports that it occurred at a depth of 10 km. The border region was struck by 2 quakes at a distance of less than one hour around midday.

 

The most powerful tremors were followed by a series of / at least 3 aftershocks.

 

Sources: Danish TV2 News / nyhederne.tv2.dk - German ZDFtext + Swedish SVT text and Norwegian NRK

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 8 SEPTEMBER 2012

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-19527695

 

China earthquake death toll rises in Yunnan and Guizhou

 

At least 80 people are now known to have died in a series of earthquakes in south-western China, as rescuers struggle to reach remote areas.

 

More than 730 people were injured after the quakes hit Yunnan and Guizhou provinces on Friday, state media say.

 

The tremors struck mostly mountainous areas, causing landslides that blocked some roads.

 

The US Geological Survey registered the two strongest of the quakes at 5.6 magnitude.

 

Premier Wen Jiabao is expected to arrive in the area shortly.

 

Tents dispatched

 

China's Xinhua news agency quoted officials in Yunnan as saying 6,650 houses had been destroyed in the province and 430,000 others damaged.

 

More than 100,000 people have already been evacuated, said Xinhua, and the Red Cross has sent 650 tents and 3,000 quilts to the region.

 

The authorities have deployed the army to assist rescue teams in the rough terrain.

 

"Roads are blocked and rescuers have to climb the mountains to reach hard-hit villages," Li Fuchun, head of Yunnan's Luozehe town, was quoted as saying.

 

Mobile and regular phone service in the area was experiencing disruption, according to reports.

 

Most of the deaths were in Yunnan's Yiliang county, said officials.

 

Television footage from state-run broadcaster CCTV showed hundreds of local residents gathering on streets littered with bricks and rocks.

 

Users of the Twitter-like wesbite Weibo reported people rushing out of shaking office buildings, and photos posted online also showed streets strewn with rubble.

 

Aid agencies said they were concerned about the plight of children in the two provinces following the quakes.

 

"We are especially worried about those who may have been separated from their parents, as more aftershocks are expected to hit the area," Save the Children in China Country Director Pia MacRae said.

 

The largest of the quakes was also felt in the neighbouring province of Sichuan, where a 7.8 magnitude quake in 2008 left tens of thousands dead.

 

 

Swedish SVT Text: AT LEAST 80 DEATHS IN THE TREMORS IN CHINA

 

More rain is expected in the earthquake-stricken region in the southwestern China in the next couple of days. This will hamper the rescue efforts further.

 

The authorities expect the death toll to be at least 80 and more than 800 are injured after yesterday's tremors.

 

Most damaged were poor mountainous areas with weak infrastructure in Yiliang.

 

Initially, destroyed or damaged houses and collapsed mountain blocks hampered the rescue efforts.

 

 

 

VIETNAM: LANDSLIDES & FLOODING have claimed at least 29 human lives in the last couple of days.

 

Torrential rain has submerged northern and central parts of the country. More rain is expected in the Nghe An province, and the authorities have arranged evacuations.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 9 SEPTEMBER 2012

 

 

PEOPLE FLEEING VOLCANO IN NICARAGUA / EVACUATIONS ONGOING

 

In NICARAGUA the volcano "San Cristobal" has spewed out a massive cloud of gas and ashes.

 

Fearing an eruption, the authorities started the evacuation of people living in the areas at the foot of the mountain. 3,000 people were urged to leave their houses. 260 soldiers assisted the authorities.

 

The ash cloud caused by the San Cristibal volcano stretches 5 kmm up in the air, and the authorities have closed the air space for aiir traffic.

 

According to the government, the number of people affected might rise to 20,000 if San Cristobal continues to spew out so much volcanic material. In that case they will be evacuated.

 

The last eruption of this volcano - one of the country's most active volcanoes -was in 2006. Acccording to SVT Text: This volcano had a series of eruptions in 2008.

 

The 1,745 m high volcano is situated in the northwestern part of the central-American country - 150 km or about 14 miles north / northwest of the capital MANAGUA that houses more than 2 million people.

 

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

 

 

 

SATURDAY, 2 TORNADOES PASSED OVER NEW YORK DAMAGING SOME BUILDINGS AND CAUSING SOME FALLING TREES IN THE STREETS

 

2 tornadoes passed across New York Saturday. Several buildings were damaged, and trees fell into the streets. About 1,100 people were for a while without power / electricity. No reports of injured.

 

The first tornado hit Breezy Point in the district QUEENS. An eye witness said that it sounded like a train. Everything was lifted up in the air. Windows were destroyed, and there was lots of rain.

 

A little later a second tornado passed across Canarsie in district BROOKLYN with wind speeds of up to 177 km per hour. Trees were uprooted and roofs blown/torn off and power lines were torn down.

 

Tornadoes in the eastern part of the USA are rather unusual.

 

Sources: German ARDtext + ZDFtext AND Swedish SVT Text

 

 

QUAKE VICTIMS WAITING FOR HELP IN SOUTH CHINA / 279 AFTERSHOCKS

 

After the 2 powerful earthquakes causing 81 deaths and more than 800 injured, the people in the south-Chinese disaster region are waiting for urgent help. Parts of the affected region are difficult to access because collapsed mountain parts blocked vital / main roads.

 

Sunday, some AFTERSHOCKS caused FEAR and hampered rescue efforts.

 

A 2-year-old child was killed by an aftershock in the Yunnan province when hit by a collapsing wall.

 

There have been 279 AFTERSHOCKS until Sunday noon, said a spokesman for the seismological station in Yunnan.

 

Source: German ARD text

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 10 SEPTEMBER 2012

 

 

78 KILLED IN CONNECTION WITH TORRENTIAL RAIN IN PAKISTAN

 

At least 78 people have died and dozens have been injured following TORRENTIAL RAIN and FLOODS in Pakistan the last 3 days - so says a spokesman for the government today, Monday.

 

Massive monsoon rain that started to fall last week has destroyed more than 1,600 houses, and 5,000 other houses have been damaged, so the spokesman for the country's National Disaster Management Agency / Authority.

 

Worst hit is the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where 32 people are reported dead. 26 are reported injured in a number of districts.

 

Last month the rain claimed at least 26 human lives.

 

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

 

 

DEATH TOLL IN NIGERIA RISING - AT LEAST 137 DIED IN FLOODS IN EAST NIGERIA

 

The local Red Cross reports this.

 

More than 120,000 people have been forced to leave their homes, so says an official in Kano.

 

Floods are often causing loss of human lives and substantial material damage during the rainy season from May to September in WEST AFRICA.

 

Also CAMEROUN and NIGER are hart hit by this year's floods

.

 

Source: Norwegian NRK News

[nancyk58]

NORTH ICELAND IN STATE OF EMERGENCY AFTER LOTS OF SNOW IN CONNECTION WITH THE RAVAGING OF A HURRICANE

 

Power outages, and electricity poles down.

 

Source: Danish DR Update (live at 19:30)

 

 

2 EARTHQUAKES SHOOK THE AEGEAN SEA + 2 GREEK POPULAR ISLANDS, i.e. CRETE and MILOS

 

No reports of any damage.

 

The first quake occurred early this morning at 5.30 central European time south of Crete and had a magnitude of 5.6.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 17 SEPTEMBER 2012

 

 

TYPHOON ”SANBA” RAVAGING SOUTH KOREA

 

On Monday (17.9.12) the typhoon ”Sanba” hit South Korea with wind gusts up to hurricane strength. 30,000 houses and shops are without electricity.

 

A 50-year-old woman has died in a LANDSLIDE, and more than 70 people have lost their homes.

 

330 flights were cancelled, and also the trains were affected.

 

Meter-high waves hit the coast, and 170 ferries were cancelled.

 

Source: Danish text-TV / DR.dk/news / Norwegian NRK + German ZDFtext