NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 15 DECEMBER 2012

 

FIJI INHABITANTS URGED TO SEEK HIGHER GROUND BEFORE ARRIVAL OF APPROACHING TYPHOON

 

Inhabitants living on the FIJI Islands in the Pacific are urged to seek higher ground before arrival of typhoon on Sunday.

 

In neighbouring Samoa, the typhoon has cost 10 human lives - so news agency AFP.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 16.12.11

 

DEATH TOLL AFTER THE HURRICANE IN THE PHILIPPINES HAS PASSED 1,000. 1,020 DIED. 844 REMAIN MISSING - HALF OF THEM FISHERMEN

 

After the devastating typhoon "Bopha" in the Philippines on 4 December, the death toll has risen to more than 1,000. So far 1,020 dead bodies have been recovered according to the government. The death toll might rise further as 844 people are regarded as missing. 27,000 remain homeless living in random shelters.

 

The typhoon triggered landslides and floodings.

 

Most deaths occurred in the southern island, MINDANAO.

 

On 4 December, "Bopha" made landfall with wind speeds / wind gusts of about 210 km per hour in the eastern part of Mindanao. A few days later it returned at reduced speed, but with heavy rainfalls.

 

The citizens were not at all prepared for the strength of the typhoon. This part of the Philippines (Mindanao) had not been hit by a powerful storm since 1912, says Benito Ramos who is the Filipino head of the civil defense.

 

The typhoon has caused massive damage to infrastructure and agriculture.

 

Sources: Danish dr.dk/news + TV2 News + German ZDFtext + Swedish SVT Text

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 17 DECEMBER 2012

 

CYCLONE "EVAN" THREATENING HOLIDAY PARADISE / FIJI

 

FIJI - a state of islands in the Pacific - prepares for the biggest cyclone to visit the paradise-like islands for more than 20 years.

 

The cyclone has got the name of EVAN.

 

Last week EVAN hit SAMOA where it destroyed many homes and killed 4 people in the capital APIA. 12 people are still missing in West Samoa.

 

Tourists in many of Fiji's islands have been evacuated, and the authorities have urged people to seek refuge/shelter in one of the 60 newly established evacuation centres before the arrival of EVAN.

 

Source: Danish TV2 News

 

 

COLD WEATHER HAS CLAIMED 18 HUMAN LIVES IN UKRAINE

 

In UKRAINE 12 people have lost their lives since Friday after degrees down to minus 15 degrees Celsius - so the press service of the Health Department.

 

Some of them have been found dead in the streets, other in their cold homes.

 

Since 1.12.12, 18 people have died in the cold weather whereas other 133 people have been hospitalized - some with frostbites.

 

Traffic in Ukraine has also been hard hit. In the night between Friday and Saturday, cars were stuck in a 18-km-long line on the mainroad between the capital Kijev / Kiew and the town of Lviv.

 

Source: Danish dr.dk/news

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 20 DECEMBER 2012

 

 

FLOODINGS IN SRI LANKA CLAIMING AT LEAST 25 HUMAN LIVES

 

At least 25 people have died in connection with massive floodings / flash floods in Sri Lanka.

 

36 are missing according to Sarath Lal Kumara who is vice/deputy director of the Center for Disaster Management.

 

250,000 are isolated by the watermasses.

 

Most victims were trapped in their houses by landslides.

 

The floodings followed heavy rain for more than one day in the south-Asian state.

 

In more than half of the 25 districts of Sri Lanka the rain continued Thursday.

 

Sources: Swedish SVT Text + German ARDtext

 

 

A GERMAN MAN FROM BAVARIA (BAYERN) DIED IN AVALANCHE ACCIDENT IN SEEFELD IN TIROL

 

He was buried by the snow masses and later found dead.

 

Another person who was together with the now dead German was severely injured and was flown to a hospital in Garmisch-Partenkirchen where he was operated. There is no information as to the health state / condition of this man.

 

The man who was together with the dead man was able to partly free himself from the snow masses. He alarmed the rescue team.

 

Source: German ARDtext

 

 

 

WINTER STORM HITTING NORTH-EASTERN USA

 

The first winter storm of 2012 is causing trouble in the USA, particularly in the Midwest.

 

About 400,000 electricity customers were without electricity / power Thursday when the winter storm passed the coast states along / at the Gulf of Mexico with i.a. tornadoes in the MOBILE area in ALABAMA.

 

Longer to the north - in US states such as i.a. INDIANA, OHIO and WYOMING - the problems continued to grow.

 

The flights in CHICAGO were affected to a large extent.

 

Warmings of storm winds were in force in MISSOURI and ILLINOIS.

 

Source: Swedish TV4 Text

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 21.12.12

 

AT LEAST 83 PEOPLE DIED IN CONNECTION WITH COLDWAVE IN UKRAINE - ALSO RUSSIA EXPERIENCING COLD WEATHER

 

At least 83 people have frozen to death in a coldwave in UKRAINE. 46 of them died this week - according to the Health Ministry in Kiew.

 

57 of them died in the street, and 15 froze to death in their own homes - so the spokesman of the Health Department on Friday.

 

Temperatures down to minus 20 degrees Celsius have been recorded in vast parts of Ukraine the last couple of days.

 

Snowfall in Ukraine have led to problems with the power supply. 49 people are said to have frozen to death in the course of November.

 

Victims are even found in Poland, Lithuania and the Czech Replublic.

 

Russia has also experienced cold weather with the hardest winter frost for a century in the Altaj region in southern Sibiria.

 

More than 190 people have died in connection with the coldwave in Russia and East Europe over the last couple of weeks.

 

The low temperatures have particularly affected the homeless. Even in East Russia that is used to cold weather the temperatures of minus 40 degrees Celsius or more have been called "abmormal".

 

Temperatures fell to minus 20 degrees Celsius in Moscow (Moskau), in Sibiria to minus 50 degrees Celsius.

 

56 people have died of the consequences of the cold weather in Russia since mid-December - according to the news agency RIA Nowosti.

 

Sources: Swedish SVT Text, Norwegian NRK News, German ZDFtext / ARDtext + Swedish TV4 Text

 

 

MANY / 49 FROZEN TO DEATH IN POLAND IN DECEMBER 2012

 

At least 49 have frozen to death in Poland in the course of December due to very cold weather.

 

Most of them are homeless. Policemen are now informing homeless in Poland's towns and cities where to find shelters.

 

The temperature in Poland in December has been around minus 10 degrees.

 

Earlier periods of cold weather in October and November have claimed 20 human lives in 2012.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 22 DECEMBER, 2012

 

TYPHOON "BOPHA" KILLED AROUND 1,500 PEOPLE IN THE PHILIPPINES

 

The number of deaths caused by the typhoon Bopha that ravaged the Philippines earlier this month (around 4.12.12) is likely to pass 1,500 according to the authorities.

 

That makes Bopha the second-most deadly typhoon in the south-east Asian country since recording hereof started in 1947.

 

The worst typhoon since 1947 in the country was "Thelma" in 1991 when more than 5,000 were killed.

The head of the country's Civil Defense, Benito Ramos says that so far 1,067 have been confirmed dead. 800 are missing.

 

The death toll will rise, but not all missing can be regarded as dead, he says. He estimates that the death toll will be around 1,500.

 

Source: Danish dr.dk/news + Norwegian NRK News

 

 

300,000 HOMELESS AFTER TYPHOON "BOPHA" - so aid agencies

 

At least 200,000 are in need of acute humanitarian help after the typhoon that killed more than 1,000 at the beginning of December.

 

The situation is really desperate, says Gwendolyn Pang, secretary-general of the Filipino Red Cross.

 

"We must meet people's basic needs such as food and water, but also help them rebuild their homes", says Gwendolyn Pang.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text

 

 

DOWN TO MINUS 57 DEGREES CELSIUS IN RUSSIA

 

The heaviest December frost for 50 years paralyzes Russia.

 

The Civil Defence / Protection in Sibiria urges people not to stay in cars too long. The risk is too big to freeze to death while waiting for assistance.

 

In the huge Russian republic of Sacha people are freezing the most with temperatures down to minus 57 degrees Celsius.

 

A strong low-pressure over the northern part of the Pacific peninsula Kamtjatka is causing the icecold weather east of the Ural Mountains - in connection with a high-pressure area over Sibiria.

 

Source: German ARDtext

 

 

RAIN FLOOD IN GREAT BRITAIN

 

Hundreds of Britons might face Christmas outside theiur own home after weeks of rainfalls.

 

117 buildings had to be evacuated in Cornwall in south-west England Saturday, because they were full of water - so the authorities in Cornwall.

 

People also had to leave their homes in Scotland and on the east coast of England, because rivers had burst their banks and the Northsea waves were higher than the barriers and overflew these.

 

According to the meteorologists more rainfalls are to be expected for the coming days.

 

Source: German ARDtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 25 DECEMBER 2012

 

 

EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER IN MOSCOW (MOSKAU), RUSSIA

 

MOSCOW had minus 25 degrees Celsius on Christmas Eve (24.12). Normally, Moscow - Russia's capital - does not experience such cold weather until January or February.

 

In the region around Moscow the temperatures have fallen to minus 30 degrees Celsius.

 

The cold weather has claimed 123 lives in Russia since the middle of December when the cold wave started.

 

833 people were hospitalized due to the icecold temperatures, and 345 of them were hospitalized within the past 24 hours - 200 of them were children.

 

The cold weather has claimed 83 lives in UKRAINE, and 57 have died in POLAND.

 

In EAST SIBIRIA the temperatures have fallen to close to minus 60 degrees in December. That is 12 degrees below the average for this season.

 

According to some meteorologists, European Russia should get warmer weather with around 0 degrees Celsius later this week.

 

Sources: Norwegian NRK News + German ARDtext + Swedish SVT Text + Danish dr.dk/news

 

 

At the same time Munich (München), Bavaria's (Bayern's) capital had the warmest Chrismas Eve ever with 20.7 degrees Celsius.

 

 

 

THE PHILIPPINES ARE PREPARING FOR A NEW TROPICAL STORM "WUKONG"

 

A new tropical storm - "Wukong" - is expected in the night between 25.12 and 26.12. The authorities warn of risks of LANDSLIDES and FLOODINGS.

 

The tropical storm is expected to hit the same area that was ravaged 3 weeks ago - 4.12.12 - by the tropical storm / typhoon "Bopha".

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 26.12.12

 

 

DEATH TOLL IN RUSSIA CAUSED BY EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER iIS 123

 

More than 900 have been hospitalized as a consequence of damage / injuries caused by the extremely cold weather.

 

Temperatures in Russia have now risen by more than 20 degrees to almost 0 degrees. A few days ago the temperatures were at minus 30 degrees Celsius.

 

Source: German ARDtext

 

 

FLOODINGS IN IRAQ AFTER 24-HOUR-RAIN

 

The floodings were aggravated by an old sewer system.

 

Source: Danish TV2 News / Live

 

 

FLOODINGS IN MALAYSIA - 14.000 FORCED TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES - 1 REPORTED DEATH

 

In MALAYSIA, floodings have forced about 14,000 people to leave their homes. They are now in emergency shelters.

 

The water masses had flooded hundreds of houses in 3 Malaysian states in the north-eastern part of Malaysia. So the state-run news agency Bernama.

 

The number of people having to flee due to the floodings will rise further.

 

The rain could intensify in some Malaysian states.

 

A 36-year-woman drowned Tuesday as she fell into a river while she was fishing.

 

Sources: Danish TV2 News + German ZDFtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 27 DECEMBER, 2012

 

 

AT LEAST 12 DEATHS IN THE USA IN CONNECTION WITH SNOWSTORMS - STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED IN MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA

 

Storms and snowfalls have claimed at least 12 human lives in the South and Midwest of the USA.

 

Heavy snowfalls made many streets partly impassable and the storm downed power lines.

 

Thousand households were without power / electricity, and more than 1,600 flights were delayed or cancelled.

 

On Thursday, the storms are expected to bring new snow to the north-eastern USA: Up to 45 cm of snow is to be expected in the region between New York and Maine.

 

Northern New York, Vermont and New Hampshire might expect 5 cm snow per hour and wind speeds of more than 13 m per second.

 

Sources: German ARDtext, Danish TV2 News (text-tv + live) + Norwegian NRK News

 

read more on BBC World News :

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20847644

 

 

COLD WAVE = EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER IN NORTH INDIA CLAIMING MORE THAN 40 HUMAN LIVES

 

A continuous cold wave in NORTH INDIA has claimed more than 40 human lives within 24 hours. According to Indian media reports, the temperatures fell during the night to less than 4 degrees Celsius.

 

Most of the deaths were reported in the Indian states of UTTAR PRADESH and BIHAR.

 

Normally, the average temperataure in december is around 28 degrees Celsius in daytime and 11.5 degrees Celsius during the night.

 

According to media reports, the authorities established emergency shelters for the poor and the homeless and a fire was arranged at the camp.

 

Source: German ZDFtext

 

 

 

VOLCANIC ERUPTION IN NICARAGUA / EVACUATION DECREED / SOME PEOPLE REFUSE TO LEAVE THE AREA

 

The authorities in Nicaragua have ordered/decreed evacuation of about 300 families living near the volcano SAN CRISTOBAL.

 

The volcano began spewing smoke, sand and ash a few days ago.

 

About 1,500 people refuse to leave their homes.

 

One woman, Maria Pereira says to AFP: "We will not abandon / leave this area". She lives in a town of about 600 inhabitants at the foot of the montain.

 

The civil defense has been sent to the area to make the people living near the volcano leave the area.

 

Source: Swedish TV4 Text + Swedish SVT Text

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 30 DECEMBER, 2012

 

PHILIPPINES: The tropical storm hitting the Philippines on Christmas eve has resulted in 20 deaths. More than 20,000 have become homeless when the storm triggered floodings and landslides in central parts of the country.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text

 

POWERFUL STORM ON THE SOLOMON ISLANDS

 

The tropical storm "FREDA" brought floodings and torrential rain and forced thousands of people to flee their homes on the SOLOMON Islands. The cyclone developed into a "very devastating" storm with peak wind gusts up to > 230 km per hour according to the Tropical Storm Center on the neighbouring FIJI Islands. Substantial damage is to be expected.

 

"Freda" tore off roofs of houses, uprooted trees and left rivers swell rapidly.

 

The storm is expected to reach the New Caledonia on New Year's Day.

 

Source: German ARDtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 3.1.13

 

MORE THAN 100 HAVE DIED IN NORTHERN INDIA DUE TO THE COLD WEATHER

- 114 DIED IN INDIAN STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH

 

The unusual winter cold in Northern India has claimed far more than 100 human lives.

 

In the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh at least 114 have died according to the police.

 

At least 23 have died within the last 24 hours.

 

Many of the dead Indians were poor people whose dead bodies were found on pavements, on the side of streets and in parks.

 

According to the weather service, the temperatures are between 4-10 degrees below normal and down to the freezing point (0 degrees Celsius).

 

In the Indian capital, New Delhi, the thermometer did not reach more than 9.8 degrees Celsius - that is the lowest "highest-temperature for a day" measured there since 1969.

 

Sources: Danish dr.dk/news, German ARDtext

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From Danish TV2 News, live: After heavy rain in Brzil in the Rio de Janeiro retion, this mega-city is flooded. The streets look like rivers, and at least 1 person has drowned.

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 5 JANUARY 2013

 

 

AUSTRALIA EXPERIENCING HEATWAVE + DEVASTATING FOREST FIRES - THOUSANDS ARE AFFECTED - ONE PERSON FEARED DEAD IN DUNALLEY 60 KM SOUTH OF HOBART

 

Thousands of people in Australia are surrounded by devastating forest fires.

In some areas the walls of fire have cut all escapes over land.

 

On the Australian island of TASMANIA more than thousand people living close to the coast had to be rescued by (over) sea and brought to the Tasmanian capital city of HOBART - this happened in the night between Friday and Saturday.

 

Among the worst affected areas is the fishing village, DUNALLEY about 60 km south of the capital city of HOBART and some nearby fishing villages / communities. According to the police about 30 per cent of the buildings in Dunalley has been destroyed by the fires, and firefighters are surrounded by flames in Dunalley, and one person is feared dead.

 

At least 100 houses were burning. About 1,000 people were brought to Hobart by boats.

Thousand other people including 700 tourists in PORT ARTHUR were surrounded / stuck because of streets being blocked by the on-going fires.

 

The fires started on Friday when a heatwave resulted in temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius on Tasmania south of the Australian mainland.

 

Numerous fires were ravaging in other parts of South-Australia fanned by massive heat, drought and strong winds.

 

Source: German ZDFtext + ARDtext and Norwegian NRK News + Swedish TV4 Text + SVT Text

 

 

TSUNAMI ALERT OFF SOUTH ALASKA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA FOLLOWING MAGNITUDE 7.5 EARTHQUAKE WEST OF ALASKA's COAST

 

The US Geological Survey center aka. USGS warned earlier today of the risk of a tsunami off Alaska and British Columbia following a magnitude 7.5 earthquake west of Alaska's coast. Initially, the quake was stated to have magnitude 7.7, but was later downgraded to 7.5.

 

A small local tsunami wave (around 10-12 cm) was located at Port Alexander. The tsunami alert has been lifted again. While in force the tsunami alert covered parts of South Alaska and the Canadian west coast. The warning/alert covered an 1,125km long coast stretch from Cordova to the northern tip of Vancouver Island.

 

The epicenter of the quake was 102 km west of Craig in Alaska.

 

There are no reports of casualties.

 

/ritzau/AFP

 

Sources: Danish dr.dk/news + TV2 News live, German ARDtext

 

 

 

10 DEATHS IN FLOODINGS in RIO, BRAZIL

 

Many homes destroyed by the water masses.

 

Source: Danish TV2 News live

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 6.1.13

 

 

AUSTRALIAN BUSH FIRES CONTAINED

 

The temperatures in Australia have fallen somewhat from > 40 degrees Celsius, and the wind is no longer so strong. Consequently the firefighters managed to contain several fires.

 

As much as 30,000 hectares of forest burned down in the past few days on the Australian island of Tasmania.

 

A few people are feared dead on Tasmania. About 100 people remain missing according to the police.

 

The fires destroyed more than 100 houses, and almost 3,000 people were evacuated - some by boat, because they were surrounded by the fire. More than hundred communities were destroyed.

 

Policemen are knocking on the doors in the worst-hit communities, Dunalley and Boomer Bay.

 

Sources: German ZDFtext + ARDtext and Norwegian NRK News and Swedish SVT Text

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 7+8 JANUARY 2013

 

German ZDFtext on 7.1.13: All of the 100 missing people on the island of Tasmania should have been found - they had been able to seek refuge with families and friends.

 

Alerts of fires spreading to New South wales.

 

 

HEATWAVE IN AUSTRALIA: HIGHEST ALERT FOR BUSH FIRES IN SOUTH-EASTERN AUSTRALIA / NEW SOUTH WALES

 

In south-eastern Australia the fire department has put thousands of people on high/highest alert. There is a great risk of about 100 small bush fires very quickly developing to disastrous fires due to bad weather conditions.

 

All national parks in the region have been closed, and camping tourists had to leave.

 

The state of NEW SOUTH WALES can expect temperatures up to 45 degrees Celsius and strong winds in the days to come. This will increase the risk of bush fires further.

 

Source: German ZDFtext

 

 

FIRES OUT OF CONTROL IN AUSTRALIA'S MOST POPULOUS STATE NEW SOUTH WALES

 

State of EMERGENCY has been declared in New South Wales.

 

 

Several devastating bushfires In Australia's most populous state of New South Wales are out of control. Maximum temperatures up to 45 degrees Celsius and strong winds fanned the fires.

 

More than 130 fires are ongoing in the southern state south of SYDNEY, and 40 of these fires are not yet contained / are out of control.

 

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says that the situation is disastrous. This day has been characterized as a very dangerous day because of the high temperatures and the strong winds.

It is feared that this day will be like the BLACK SATURDAY in 2009 when 173 people died in fire storms in the state of VICTORIA.

 

Source: German ARDtext + Norwegian NRK news + Swedish SVT Text + Danish dr.dk/news

 

 

TUESDAY EVENING, 8.1.12:

 

THREATENING BUSH FIRES IN AUSTRALIA / MORE THAN 140 FIRES IN POPULOUS NEW SOUTH WALES / WILDFIRES ONGOING IN 5 OF 6 STATES

 

The bush fires in Australia have reached a"disastrous level" by continuous heat and strong winds - according to the fire brigade.

 

More than 140 fires are ravaging in the most populous state, New South Wales where a state of EMERGENCY has been declared. 40 of the fires are out of control.

 

The Australian weather service forecast additional rises in temperature and even record values of more than 50 degrees Celsius. Weather forecast for next Monday: Up to 54 degrees Celsius!!

 

The authorities were prepared for one of the most dangerous days in New South Wales's history.

 

Most worry concerns the people in the popular holiday resorts around Shoalhaven, Illawarra and Sourthern Ranges south of Sydney.

 

Hundreds of wildfires are ongoing in 5 of Australia's 6 states.

 

Source: German ZDFtext + Swedish SVT Text (both 8.1.13 at 7:50 pm)

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 9.1.13

 

 

BAD WEATHER INVOLVING HEAVY RAIN IN THE MIDDLE EAST (LIBANON, ISRAEL, PALESTINE, JORDAN, SYRIA) CAUSED AT LEAST 9 DEATHS

 

9 people have died for the past 4 days due to bad weather with heavy rain and floodings in the MIDDLE EAST.

 

2 female Palestinians were recovered dead on Wednesday - they had been washed away in their car by a flood.

 

A man froze to death in Lebanon.

 

Israeli, Palestinian, Lebanese and Jordanese schools were closed due to snowfalls.

 

In northern JORDAN hundreds of tents have been destroyed in a camp for Syrian refugees. Yesterday several aid workers were injured in a crowd of people in panic.

 

Roads have been closed / cut off in many areas.

 

Also SYRIA experienced the cold wave / very cold weather.

 

High tide / flood was reported from parts of EGYPT. 10 fishermen were missing.

 

The port of Alexandria was closed for the fourth consecutive day due to strong winds.

 

Last Monday (7.1.13) a baby was sept away by a flood in a bedouin camp.

 

Sources: German ARDtext + Swedish SVT Text

 

 

SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA - STILL HOT, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS BEFORE

 

Thousands of firemen are still fighting many, small fires. They are fighting 141 fires in the state of NEW SOUTH WALES alone, of which 30 are not yet contained / not yet under control.

 

In the capital of CANBERRA the temperature fell from 35 degrees Celsius on Tuesday to 28 degrees C on Wednesday - in SYDNEY the temperature fell from 43 to 23 degrees Celsius.

 

Source: German ARDtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 11 JANUARY 2013

 

 

AT LEAST 42 DEATHS IN CONNECTION WITH A LANDSLIDE IN SOUTH-WEST CHINA TODAY, FRIDAY 11.1.13

 

A landslide in south-west China claimed at least 42 human lives of which 7 from the same family. This is reported by the webside of Zhenxiong's regional government in the Yunnan province.

 

26 people are buried in masses of earth and are most likely dead. So the police reports to dpa.

 

Rescue teams searched for those trapped / buried in the masses of earth. Until Friday before noon central European time it had been possible to rescue only 2 survivors that had been trapped in the masses of earth.

 

The landslide is said to have buried the houses of 14 households in the village, Gaopo, and 2 other have been damaged.

 

Sources: German ARDtext + Norwegian NRK News

 

 

FIRES IN AUSTRALIA ARE STILL ONGOING

 

Maximum temperatures of up to 47 degrees Celsius must be expected this week-end in Australia. The risk of new fires in southeastern Australia is consequently very high.

 

Friday saw more than 100 fires.

 

Stronger winds and higher temperatures increased the risk of new fires.

 

18 of the many fires in New South Wales are out of control.

 

About 70,000 mainly volunteers are fighting the flames.

 

Source: German ARDtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 12.1.13

 

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-20997520

 

12 January 2013 Last updated at 10:56 GMT

 

At least 46 people - 19 children, 27 adults - are now known to have been killed by a landslide in China's southern Yunnan province, state media report.

 

The bodies of the last two missing residents of the Gaopo village, Yunnan province, were found in the morning, Xinhua news agency says.

 

The landslide hit the village at about 08:20 local time on Friday (23:00 GMT Thursday), burying 16 houses.

 

Hundreds of rescuers have been searching for survivors at the site.

 

Photos published on the news agency's website showed rescue workers combing through piles of earth and rubble strewn across a mountainous area.

 

Two injured people were earlier sent to hospital but their condition remains unknown.

 

The affected village, which is experiencing freezing temperatures, is next to Yiliang county, where a landslide in October buried a primary school that killed 18 children and an adult.

 

A series of earthquakes, including one of 5.8 magnitude, also hit the county in September 2012, killing dozens of people.

 

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20997139

 

12 January 2013

 

Bushfires rage on in Australia 'helped' by climate change

 

Australian firefighters are continuing to tackle more than 100 bushfires, which have gutted houses and thousands of hectares of land.

 

Officials say temperatures are lower than feared, but gusty winds are making it hard to contain the blazes in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

 

Six people have been treated for heat exposure, but nobody has died.

 

A government commission says the heatwave and fires have been exacerbated by global warming.

 

"Climate change is increasing the risk of more frequent and longer heatwaves and more extreme hot days, as well as exacerbating bushfire conditions," the Climate Commission said in its report.

 

It warned that "when (a) fire occurs in more extreme weather conditions, there is the potential for the fire to be far more intense and difficult to control".

 

The current heatwave saw the average maximum daily temperature across Australia reach 40.3C (104.5F) earlier this week, breaking the previous record of 40.17C registered in 1972, David Karoly, one of the report's authors, told the AFP news agency.

 

However, on Saturday temperatures have somewhat eased in the three affected states where the fires have the potential to threaten communities, the BBC's Nick Bryant in New South Wales reports.

 

He says that so far, local residents have not been fleeing their homes, but there is the worry that the winds will pick up and change direction.

 

In 2009, more than 170 people died in the so-called Black Saturday firestorm - Australia's worst natural disaster in modern times.

 

 

MORE THAN 1,000 FIREFIGHTERS IN ACTION FIGHTING THE BUSHFIRES IN AUSTRALIA

 

There are 95 ongoing fires in New South Wales alone of which 12 out of control.

 

There are several ongoing fires in the neighbouring states of VICTORIA and QUEENSLAND .

 

The extreme heatwave with temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius has made it difficult to extinguish the fires.

 

Sources: Swedish SVT Text + German ARDtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 15 JANUARY 2013

 

 

MASSIVE FLOODING REPORTED IN INDONESIA

 

Sources: Danish TV2 News live + German ZDFtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 17 JANUARY 2013

 

 

10,000 PEOPLE FORCED TO FLEE FOLLOWING MASSIVE FLOODINGS IN THE JAKARTA REGION IN INDONESIA

 

Massive floodings have forced 10,000 people in the Indonesian capital (having several million inhabitants) to leave their houses / homes. Several days of heavy rain flooded districts and main streets in Jakarta - chaos ruled there. Many car drivers had to leave their cars and walk instead. Others were waiting on roofs to be saved/rescued.

 

The mayor promised packages with food and medicaments / medicine.

 

Jakarta is low-lying. Consequently the surrounding rivers overflow their banks during the rainy season - or it comes to deadly landslides.

 

Source: German ZDFtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 18 JANUARY 2013

 

11 people have died in connection with the massive floodings in Jakarta, Indonesia.

 

More than 18,000 have been forced to leave their homes within the next few days. 8 percent of Jakarta is flooded.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text

 

 

 

RECORD TEMPERATURES IN THE SYDNEY REGION + MORE BUSHFIRES IN AUSTRALIA

 

Sydney situated on the east coast had more than 45.8 degrees C, and that is the highest temperature measured there since the beginning of recordings of temperatures 150 years ago.

 

The highest temperature was measured in neighbouring Penrith.

 

The warmest temperature ever measured in Australia was 50.7 degrees Celsius in 1960 in Oodnadatta in the state of South Australia.

 

For the time being vast parts of Australia suffer from a heatwave that triggers numerous bushfires.

 

One man has died in connection with a bushfire.

 

Last week a firefighter died on the island of Tasmania - it might be bushfire-related, but is not clear.

 

Sources: German ZDFtext + Danish TV2 News / live

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 19.1.13

 

 

DEATH TOLL IN JAKARTA IN INDONESIA RISEN TO 15 FOLLOWING HEAVY RAIN

 

The death toll after the massive floodings in Indonesia's capital JAKARTA has risen to 15 after that rescue teams have found 4 more dead bodies, so the police.

 

A spokesman says that 3 dead bodies were found in the water masses on Friday (18.1.13) while a fourth dead body appeared early Saturday in a flooded parking garage in the business district of Jakarta.

 

There was however still hope of finding survivors in the muddy water that has flooded thousands of houses in Jakarta and paralyzed the chaotic traffic in Jakarta.

 

Source: Danish dr.dk/news

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 19 JANUARY 2013

 

 

4 MOUNTAINEERS DIED IN SCOTLAND - KILLED BY AN AVALANCHE

 

An avalanche in the Scottish highland killed 4 mountaineers yesterday - Saturday 19.1.13. One person was seriously injured. A sixth person escaped from the incident unscathed and sounded the alarm - according to the police.

 

It is the worst accident related to the cold weather and all the snow that has hit Great Britain within the last couple of days.

 

The victims - 2 men and 2 women - were part of a group of 6 climbing in the Glencoe area - one of Scotland's most beautiful landscapes. The incident occurred on/at the 1,150 m high Bidean nam Bian on the west coast.

 

Scotland is home for Great Britain's highest mountains and is a popular destination for climbers and hikers.

 

Source: Danish dr.dk/news + Swedish SVT Text + Norwegian NRK Text plus BBC News + German ARDtext + ZDFtext

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-21106340

 

20 January 2013 Last updated at 10:10 GMT

 

Glencoe avalanche: 'Appalling tragedy' says Alex Salmond

 

An avalanche on a Scottish mountain, which killed four climbers, was an "appalling tragedy", Scotland's first minister has said.

 

Alex Salmond added: "Our immediate thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who have been lost."

 

Six climbers were caught up in the avalanche on Bidean Nam Bian in Glencoe at about 14:00 GMT on Saturday.

 

One man survived and a 24-year-old woman, from the Durham area, was taken to hospital with serious head injuries.

 

She has been transferred to the Southern General in Glasgow where she remains in a critical condition.

 

Following a major search two men and two women were found dead, buried beneath the snow.

 

Police said that the names of those who died would be released later.

 

The Reverend Moira Herkes of St Munda's Church, in the Highlands, said it was "the worst accident... here for many years".

 

"It is very distressing, because people come here for pleasure and when something like this happens it hurts everyone involved," said Ms Herkes.

 

"This is a very beautiful place, but at times it can be very dangerous."

 

It is understood the group were descending from a peak on the south side of the valley, when the slope they were on broke away.

 

Five of them were swept down the mountain and engulfed by ice and snow.

 

John Grieve, leader of Glencoe mountain rescue team, which co-ordinated the search, said the alarm was initially raised by two climbers - who were not part of the group of six - when they discovered one of the casualties lying in the snow.

 

Soon after, police were contacted by the party's male survivor who told them more people were missing.

 

A major search operation, involving two mountain rescue teams and police dogs, located the bodies of the climbers.

 

The male member of the party is safe and well, while the surviving woman is in a serious condition in Belford hospital in Fort William.

 

David Gibson, chief officer of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCoS), said: "This was a significant tragedy.

 

"The thoughts of the MCoS are with all of those involved and the rescue services up there doing the job they do.

 

"It is always difficult in these circumstances, but I think the advice we would give to people is to check the weather and avalanche forecasts before setting off, and to assess the risks."

 

Bidean Nam Bian is a Munro - a mountain higher than 3,000ft - with a number of different climbs.

 

"It is a fantastic location to go climbing at this time of the year as it is very beautiful," Mr Gibson added.

 

Mark Diggins, co-ordinator of the Scottish Avalanche Information Service, said weather conditions were fairly dry and there had been little snow over the last four days.

 

But he added: "An avalanche is possible to be triggered by a single person."

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 22 JANUARY 2013

 

 

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: REFUGEES IN AFGHANISTAN FREEZING TO DEATH

 

At least 17 people - mainly children - in Afghanistan have frozen to death in January. The deaths occurred in the provinces of Herat and Kabul where 500,000 of Afghanistan's internal / displaced refugees are living in camps.

 

Last year in the wintertime about 100 people froze to death in the camps.

 

Sources: Swedish SVT Text + Norwegian NRK News

 

 

 

TEN THOUSANDS HIT BY FLOODING IN SOUTHERN MOZAMBIQUE IN AFRICA - 35 DEAD

 

The authorities have started the evacuation of 55,000 people that are affected by flooding in the southern part of the country. 35 have died

 

The 55,000 are in great danger of the rising water level.

 

Rescue teams are in place. Motor boats are used in the rescue efforts.

 

The preparedness is at highest level after Mozambique has got the largest amount of rain since year 2000 when about 800 people lost their lives due to flooding.

 

Source: Norwegian NRK News

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 23.1.13

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-21148402

 

23 January 2013 Last updated at 02:17 GMT

 

Chile capital sees water shortage

 

The drinking water in Chile's capital, Santiago, is being restored after contamination left millions without supplies, officials say.

 

Chile water shortage hits Santiago from Maipo river

 

The drinking water in Chile's capital, Santiago, is being restored after contamination left millions without supplies for a day, officials say.

 

The water company says supplies should be back to normal by Wednesday morning.

 

The problem was reportedly caused by flash floods in the Andes, which muddied the river Maipo and forced the closure of water processing plants.

 

More than two million people have been affected, with some businesses ordered to close for the day.

 

The water processing plants have now been fixed, the Aguas Andinas company said.

 

Supplies should be restored in the city of nearly five million people by 06:00 local time (09:00 GMT).

 

"We had an emergency event owing to circumstances beyond our control that forced us to cut water to 15 neighbourhoods," said Cristian Esquivel, spokesman for Aguas Andinas.

 

Officials have been distributing emergency supplies from tankers, with people rushing out to buy bottled water, says the BBC's Gideon Long in Santiago.

 

The problem could hardly have come at a worse time, as this is the middle of the Chilean summer, when temperatures regularly top 30C (86F), our correspondent adds.

 

Most offices, businesses like bars and restaurants, and playgrounds were closed because of the water shortage, reports say.

 

Many people have complained that they were not given adequate warning.