NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS LATE ON 3 JUNE 2013 CENTRAL EUROPEAN TIME

 

 

MASSIVE SKYFALLS IN CENTRAL EUROPE HAVE SO FAR CLAIMED AT LEAST 8 HUMAN LIVES / 9 ARE MISSING / AUSTRIA, GERMANY AND THE CHECH REPUBLIC ARE MOST AFFECTED

 

10,000 people have been evacuated.

 

Hundreds of roads have been closed and trains are not in service for the time being in the affected areas.

 

THE WATER LEVEL IN DONAU IS THE HIGHEST FOR MORE THAN 500 YEARS

 

Thousands of soldiers and civilian helpers are deployed in the fight against the flood water in several central European countries such as GERMANY, the CZECH Republic and Austria.

 

The rivers of INN and ILZ flow into the river of DONAU / DANUBE in the South German city of PASSAU near the Austrian border. The highest water level since 1501 has been measured / recorded in Passau (12.80m). Passau is partly under water after Donau/DANUBE has overflown its banks.

 

Passau's 50,000+ inhabitants lost their water supply that was closed/cut out of fear of spread of infection.

 

The overflowing rivers in Germany are causing problems with floodings in Austria. Inner cities are flooded, and 1 person has died. At least 300 people have left their homes in Salzburg and Tirol in Austria.

 

The government in the Czech Republic has declared state of EMERGENCY after the skyfalls this past week-end. The skyfall there claimed at least 6 human lives, and many remain missing.

 

Several hundred people have been evacuated in PRAHA / Prague. 1,000 soldiers have been mobilized. 12 million Euro has been earmarked for the rescue operation.

 

Walls have been constructed along Moldau's river banks after the worst floods for 10 years.

 

And it has not yet culminated in the Czech Republic.

 

The animals in the zoo in Praha / Prague are about to be evacuated.

 

A number of schools and certain subway stations in Prague are closed. Certain bus traffic there has been cancelled.

 

 

THE FLOOD SITUATION IN GERMANY REMAINS DRAMATIC

 

THE DISASTER / CATASTROPHE ALERT REMAINS IN FORCE IN BAVARIA (Bayern), Saxony-Anhalt (Sachsen-Anhalt), SAXONY and THURINGIA.

 

The inhabitants in Passau had to do without drinking water, power and telephone connection during the night.

 

The water level of river INN has fallen slightly, so a slight improvement in sight here.

 

The first bridge over river Elbe had to be blocked in DRESDEN. Evacuation of residential areas are taking place near river Elbe.

 

About 6,000 were / are to be evacuated in Leipzig county where dykes were given up. Higher water levels are to be expected than by the devastating flood in 2002.

 

A state of EMERGENCY is in force in MAGDEBURG from the morning due to the rising water level of river Elbe.

 

The disaster alarm in Chemnitz is no longer in force. The situation in Zwickau is also better.

 

Parts of THURINGIA are declared disaster area, and 2,600 people had to leave their homes.

 

BRATISLAVA - the Slovak capital - is preparing for the approaching flood from Austria caused by the record-high water level of river DANUBE. Many streets are under water.

 

Sources: German ARDtext / ZDFtext, Norwegian NRK News, Swedish SVT Text + Danish TV2 News / dr.dk/nyheder = news

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS IN THE EVE OF 4.6.13

 

4 June 2013 Last updated at 14:36 GMT Help

 

Cities in southern and eastern Germany are on high alert as heavy floodwaters swell rivers including the Elbe.

 

In Halle, an appeal has gone out to residents to help reinforce flood defences while Dresden is preparing for water levels 5m higher than normal.

 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has promised 100m euros (£78m; $130m) in emergency aid for flood-hit areas.

 

Christian Fraser reports from the Czech Republic, where rushing floodwaters are rising at 15cm an hour .

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22752544

 

4 June 2013 Last updated at 11:43 GMT

 

Floods threaten Dresden as Prague river levels fall

 

 

In the Czech Republic, a nationwide state of emergency is still in force. Water levels are expected to peak in the north later on Tuesday.

 

Around 3,000 people have been forced to leave their homes across the west of the country.

 

As a precaution, Prague's metro system and central sewage treatment plant were closed, metal flood defences were erected and sandbags built up along the banks of the Vltava.

 

The Charles Bridge - normally packed with tourists - was shut and tigers at the city's zoo were tranquilised and moved out of an enclosure thought to be at risk.

 

A system of nine dams called the Vltava Cascade was found to be dangerously full, and the floodgates were opened at 20:00 local time (18:00 GMT) on Monday night.

 

North of Prague, further downstream, the River Elbe is rising to levels approaching those seen in 2002, the last time Europe experienced similar floods.

 

Seventeen people were killed in the Czech Republic in August 2002 and the cost of the damage across the continent was estimated at 20bn euros (£17bn).

 

Main roads in many areas of central Europe have been closed and rail services cut. Thousands of homes are without power.

 

In Austria, the meteorological service said two months of rain had fallen in just two days.

 

 

Austria Two people have died and several are missing in the west of the country

 

Germany Two people are dead and evacuations have taken place in Saxony, while more rain is forecast in Bavaria

 

Czech Republic Seven people have died and Prague is on high alert. Troops have been called in to erect flood defences

 

 

One man was found dead near Salzburg and another in the western state of Vorarlberg. Three people remain missing.

 

More than 300 people were moved from their homes in Salzburg and the neighbouring Tyrol as the army worked with the civil authorities to clear landslides and make roads passable. Parts of the Pinzgau region have been declared a disaster zone.

 

EXTREMELY DRAMATIC

 

In Germany, the army said it had sent 1,760 soldiers to southern and eastern areas to help local authorities reinforce flood defences.

 

Towns and cities in Saxony, Thuringia and Baden-Wuerttemberg have also been inundated. [/b]

 

Shipping was halted on parts of the Danube and Rhine rivers in Germany, and the entire length of the Danube in Austria. The rivers are used heavily to transport commodities such as grain and coal.

 

The European Union has said it stands ready to help the three countries as they tackle the devastating floods.

 

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico also warned that there was a risk of flooding as water moved down the Danube, which flows through Bratislava.

 

"We are getting bad news from Germany and Austria. We have to do all we can to protect... the capital," he said.

 

The head of Hungary's National Disaster Authority, Gyorgy Bakondi, said 400 people were working on flood defences in the capital, Budapest, where he said the level of the Danube might reach or even exceed the height seen in 2002.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22765464

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 5 JUNE 2013

 

 

27 PEOPLE IN BIHAR, INDIA KILLED BY LIGHTNING IN CONNECTION WITH THUNDERSTORM

 

A thunderstorm in the eastern province of Bihar in India has claimed 27 human lives including 6 children as they were hit by lightning during heavy rain (monsoon rain).

 

22 were declared dead Tuesday. The continued thunderstorm claimed 5 more human lives Wednesday.

 

Sources: Danish TV2 news + Norwegian NRK News

 

 

THE FLOODS IN GERMANY AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC HEADING NORTH - THE GERMAN STATES OF SAXONY (SACHSEN) AND SAXONY-ANHALT (SACHSEN-ANHALT) ARE THREATENED

 

After massive floodings and record-high water levels the floodwater is receding in southern Germany (including in Bavaria/Bayern) and in the Czech Republic, but the problem moves further to the north to the 2 German states SAXONY and Sachsen-Anhalt.

 

The situation remains grave by Deggendorf and Straubing.

 

The floodwater from the river MOLDAU (that passes through the Czech capital PRAHA / Prague) that has ravaged the Czech Republic now flows into the Elbe and is expected to cause a record-high water level with ensuing floodings in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.

 

About 30,000 people in HALLE in Saxony-Anhalt were asked to leave their homes. A dyke is at risk of breach. Also numerous other counties & regions in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt are affected. Evacuations are on-going.

 

A dike collapsed by Herzberg in Brandenburg. The inhabitants are not at risk, but agricultural land and forests are flooded.

 

A dyke was opened by Bad Liebenwerda.

 

A state of emergency is in force in Mühlberg an der Elbe since Wednesday - there up to 200 people are evacuated.

 

Thousands have been evacuated from the German city of Dresden close to the Czech border. The situation in Dresden is already critical / grave after floodwater has overflown a dam about 10 km outside of Dresden.

 

Cities and towns in Germany and the Czech Republic are working hard to avoid disasters from floodings heading north.

 

Thousands are without power, gas and drinking water in the northern parts of the Czech Republic. 19,000 inhabitants in the Czech Republic have been forced to leave their homes. Many parts of the town of Usti are flooded.

 

In Hungary the preparedness has been increased while the water level is rising in the river of DONAU / DANUBE.

 

In Austrian Theiss a dyke is at risk of breach. The floodwater on Donau / the Danube is moving towards Vienna / Wien.

 

The Slovak capital BRATISLAVA is preparing for the Danube flood (coming from Austria) that is expected to arrive in the night between Wednesday and Thursday, i.a. late tonight.

 

So far the floods in Central Europa have claimed 12 human lives.

 

Sources: Danish dr.dk/news and Swedish SVT Text / TV4 Text + Norwegian NRK News + German ARDtext + ZDFtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 9 AND 10 JUNE 2013

 

 

DEATH TOLL FOLLOWING MONSOON RAIN IN SRI LANKA UP FROM 27 TO 31

 

The death toll after the massive and heavy monsoon rain and strong winds that hit Sri Lanka on saturday 8.6.13 has increased to 31.

 

At least 35 people have been injured, and more than 100 communities are destroyed.

 

Since Sunday the weather has become better, but the marine and the air force are still looking for missing fishermen.

 

Sources: Swedish SVT Text on 10.6.13, Danish dr.dk/news on 9.6.13, Norwegian NRK/news on 9.6.13

 

 

 

 

FLOODINGS IN CENTRAL EUROPE CONTINUE. THOUSANDS OF INHABITANTS IN GERMANY, HUNGARY, THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND AUSTRIA ARE AFFECTED

 

In the night between Sunday and Monday the pressure from the massive water masses in river ELBE caused a dyke near MAGDEBURG in East Germany to collapse. The situation in Magdeburg is somewhat better now.

 

About 25,000 people have been evacuated from the flooded regions along the ELBE.

 

In GERMANY there have been several dyke breeches in river ELBE caused by pressure from the enormous water masses and floodings following the latest days of intensive skyfalls.

 

The has been dyke breech by/near Fischbeck in Sachsen-Anhalt. About 2,500 people had to be evacuated. The area is now flooded.

 

The entire old district in Lauenburg in Schleswig-Holstein was evacuated.

 

The damage is huge - to be counted in billions. According to the research institute IWH in Halle, the floods will prolong the current economic and financial recession in East Germany.

 

Today Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor visited the flooded areas in the German states of Brandenburg, Niedersachsen/Lower Saxony and Sachsen-Anhalt.

 

DISASTER ALERT IN DRESDEN RAISED = NO LONGER IN FORCE

 

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

 

 

DISASTER AVERTED IN HUNGARY - DANUBE's WATER LEVEL IS SLOWLY FALLING

 

From Hungary it is reported today, Monday 10.6.13 that the flood water in DANUBE (DONAU) is slowly falling and that a diaster can be averted.

 

"The situation seems to stabilize", said Budapest's mayor Istvan Tarlos at a press conference together with prime minister Viktor Orban.

 

"Budapest should be out of danger by Wednesday. There is hope that this will end without casualties (deaths or injured)", said Orban.

 

Since Thursday 1,400 people have been evacuated in Hungary.

 

Source: Swedish SVT Text

 

 

RESIDENTIAL BUILDING COLLAPSED IN MUMBAI, INDIA

 

A 5-storey/floor-high building with apartments/flats collapsed in MUMBAI following 2 days of heavy monsoon rain. At least 1 died. Other people are feared trapped in the rubble. Several people hospitalized.

 

Rescue operation is ongoing.

 

Sources: Swedish SVT Text + Norwegian NRK news

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 14 JUNE 2013

 

 

2 DEATHS IN CONNECTION WITH MASSIVE FOREST FIRES IN COLORADO, USA

 

About 38,000 people have been forced to leave their homes due to massive wildfires in the US state of COLORADO.

 

13,000 homes have been evacuated in worst-hit BLACK FOREST according to the sheriff in El Paso.

 

360 houses have been destroyed in the fires described as the worst in Colorado's known history.

 

High temperatures, strong winds and dry land have worsened the fires and made it difficult to extinguish them.

 

So far at least 2 human lives have been lost in the fires. The 2 victims were found in a carport presumably trapped by the flames before they had a chance to escape.

 

Sources: Swedish SVT Text, Norwegian NRK News, Danish TV2 News + dr.dk/news and German ARDtext / ZDFtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 16.6.13

 

 

Still floodings in northern Germany / Unusual methods applied

 

Unusual methods including blowing of dykes are applied by the helping forces in the flooded areas to force the water masses back into the rivers. The floodwater from the flooded areas on the other side of the blown dykes can afterwards flow easier back into the river.

 

The water levels of the ELBE are falling, but in several east-German regions the authorities expect the grave situation to continue into next week.

 

The floodwater is receding in Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen).

 

Sources: RTLtext, German ZDFtext + ARDtext

 

 

 

EARTHQUAKES IN MEXICO AND NICARAGUA

 

A magnitude 5.8 - 6 earthquake was recorded in Mexico sunday morning in the central-Mexican city of Santa Rosa Treinta. The epicentre was 22 km west of the town of Jalalpan in the south-eastern part of Mexico. This quake could be felt in the capital Mexico City 122 km south of the epicentre. The capital was affected by power cut.

 

No reports of major damage.

 

Saturday evening several quakes / tremors were recorded in Nicarague. The most powerful of the tremors were measured to be magnitude 6.5 by US Geological Survey centre USGS.

 

No reports of major material damage or of any loss of human lives in Nicaragua.

 

Sources: Norwegian NRK News and Swedish SVT Text + Danish TV2 News

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 19 JUNE 2013

 

 

FLOODINGS AND LANDSLIDES IN INDIA CLAIMING 131 HUMAN LIVES

 

Floodings and landslides in India have claimed at least 131 lives after cloudbursts during an one-month-earlier-than-usual-starting monsoon season. Worst hit regions are Uttarakhand + Himachal Pradesh. 110 people have died in Uttarakhand alone.

 

Ten thousands are cut off from the outside world, isolated because of the water masses.

 

Several houses have been swept away by landslides, and roads are washed away.

 

Sources: Swedish SVT Text + NRK News + German ARD

 

 

FLOODINGS CLAIMING 171 HUMAN LIVES IN NEPAL AND INDIA

 

Massive floodings have claimed more than 170 human lives in INDIA and NEPAL in the past couple of days.

 

Rescue teams tried to reach about 63,000 tourists and pilgrims in the hard-hit northern India where they were stuck.

 

Hundred inhabitants of capital New Delhi had to leave their homes because of flooding.

 

In neighbouring NEPAL the government corrected the death poll from 21 to 19. Many are still missing.

 

Source: German ARDtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO FLOODING, EARTHQUAKES ETC.

 

 

75,000 INHABITANTS IN CALGARY IN CANADA WERE EVACUATED TODAY - UP TO 100,000 PEOPLE IN CANADA MIGHT HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES DUE TO FLOODING

 

Western Canada has been hit by massive floodings. 75,000 people have been evacuated in Calgary in Canada. and up to 100,000 might have to leave their homes.

 

According to the head of the disaster unit, Bruce Burrell has never experienced such flooding - so he tells CNN.

 

Almost all of the province ALBERTA has been hit hard by rain over the past few days.

 

State of EMERGENCY has been declared i.a. in CALGARY, the most populous city in the province.

 

Large parts of the province has already seen how the water ran into the cities and towns. Roads have been washed away, and houses and gardens are under water. Bridges were destroyed.

 

So far no reports of casualties (deaths or injuries).

 

Schools were closed, and hundreds from the army helped evaucating the affected areas flooded when the rivers Bow and Elbow overflew their banks due to the rainfalls.

 

Sources: Swedish SVT Text + TV4 Text

 

 

DEATH TOLL FOLLOWING INDIAN MONSOON RAIN RISING TO 556

 

Floodings and landslides have killed more than 500 people since North India was hit by heavy monsoon rain. So Vijay Bahuguna, head of government in the Indian state of Uttarakhand told CNN-IBN.

 

About 1,000 people are feared dead.

 

The military observed 556 dead bodies - some floating some buried.

Many dead bodies of drowned Indians have been recovered from the holy river of GANGES.

 

The monsoon rain in Uttarakhand is described as 4 times so heavy as normal.

 

Houses, towns and roads have been washed away.

 

About 65,000 pilgrims are stranded in the affected region.

 

Sources: Swedish SVT Text / TV4 Text + Norwegian NRK News

 

 

POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE - MAGNITUDE 5.2 - IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ITALY

 

The earth quake could be felt from MILANO / MAILAND in the west to VENICE / VENEDIG in the east and also to Florence / Firence.

 

People panicked and ran out of the houses in several regions.

 

According to the news agency Ansa, the magnitude of the quake was measured to be 5.2

 

The quake occurred close to the surface of the earth - at a depth of 10 km.

 

The epicentre of the quake is said to haave been in Toscana.

 

No reports of deaths or injuries (casualties), but initial reports mention "substantial material damage".

 

Sources: Swedish SVT Text + Danish TV2 News / TV4 Text + Norwegian NRK News

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

 

 

29/6 - 1/7: HEATWAVE WITH TEMPS OVER 50 DEGREES CELSIUS IN THE USA TRIGGERING FIRES - 19 FIREFIGHTERS DEAD IN ARIZONA LAST SUNDAY AFTER BEING TRAPPED BY FLAMES

 

The inferno of flames continues in Arizona. The heatwave and strong winds make the situation even worse. The flames cover an area of 34 square kilometers.

 

The 19 bodies of the dead firefighters were transported to Phoenix for examination. Most victims were between 20 and 30 years old.

 

Sources: German ZDFtext + ARDtext - also mentioned in all other media

 

 

DOZENS = AT LEAST 39 DEAD FOLlOWING FLOODS AND LANDSLIDES AFTER HEAVY RAIN IN CHINA

 

At least 39 people have died following floodings and landslides after heavy rain in China. At least 13 remain missing according to the newspaper "China Daily".

 

9 regions are affected including the south-western province Sichuan and the Inner Mongolia in the northern part of the country.

 

The Chinese weather service warns of the approaching tropical storm "Rumbia" which is moving towards the coastal provinces of Guangdong and Hainan in sourthern China.

 

Source: German ZDFtext

 

 

MAGNITUDE 6.1 EARTHQUAKE ON SUMATRA IN ACEH PROVINCE IN INDONESIA - MANY HOUSES COLLAPSED; 6 CHILDREN DIED, 4 TRAPPED IN RUBBLE OF COLLAPSING MOSQUE

 

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit the ACEH province in north-western Indonesia. At least 50 people are injured after the tremors that made buildings collapse.

 

6 children are confirmed dead. At least 4 are trapped in the rubble of a collapsing mosque.

 

Rescue teams are trying to dig out / recover the other children. It is not clear whether any of them might be alive. The chances are not big.

 

Sources: Swedish SVTtext, Norwegian NRK News, Danish TV2 News / dr.dk/nyheder (news)

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 11 JULY 2013

 

 

SUPER TYPHOON APPROACHING TAIWAN - TOURISTS EVACUATED

 

More than 2,000 tourists - around 2,300 - have been evacuated from Green Island off Taiwan's east coast while the island state prepares for the arrival of super typhoon Soulik.

 

The typhoon is expected to hit or pass northern Taiwan late Friday or early Saturday morning according to Taiwan's Central Weather Office.

 

The Taiwanese authorities warn of cloudbursts and strong winds following the typhoon which - last night central European time - was around 960 km east of Taiwan heading west-northwest.

 

At least 600 people died in 2009 when Taiwan was hit by a typhoon. Most of them were buried in landslides.

 

Sources: Danish TV2 News + dr.dk/nyheder (news) / Swedish SVT Text

 

 

AT LEAST 40 DEAD IN CHINA IN FLOODS AND LANDSLIDES CAUSED BY HEAVY RAIN - 1 LANDSLIDE IN SICHUAN PROVINCE KILLED 19

 

At least 40 people died in China in landslides within the past couple of days. The landslides were caused by heavy rain.

 

A landslide in the Sichuan province alone resulted in the death of so far 19 people.

 

Landslides have swept away communities, bridges and vehicles.

 

Tens of towns are cut off from the outside world. At least 66 people are missing. Around 2,000 people that had been stuck in a tunnel in the Sichuan province were saved yesterday.

 

The bad weather is affecting more than 3 million people all over the country - about half of them in the southern province Sichuan.

 

16 provinces could report damage.

 

Sources: Swedish SVT Text + German ARDtext / ZDFtext

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 13 JULY 2013

 

 

TYPHOON SOULIK HAS SO FAR CLAIMED ONE HUMAN LIFE IN ISLAND STATE OF TAIWAN, AND 8,000 HAVE BEEN EVACUATED

 

Typhoon Soulik made landfall in the north-eastern part of Taiwan in the night to Saturday local time.

 

All island state is in alert.

 

One person died, and at least 7 have been injured in capital TAIPEI due to the tropical storm.

 

More than 8,000 people have been evacuated from their homes before arrival of Soulik carrying strong windgusts and enormous amounts of water.

 

There were windgusts up to 227 km per hour when at sea corresponding to 63m per second which may cause massive destruction.

 

Source: Danish TV2 news and dr.dk/news

 

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23297338

 

13 July 2013 Last updated at 03:58 GMT :

 

Typhoon Soulik makes landfall in Taiwan

 

Typhoon Soulik has made landfall in Taiwan, bringing strong winds and torrential rain to the island.

 

So far one person is reported to have died while 21 have been injured in the extreme weather.

 

More than 8,500 people have been evacuated from mountainous and other dangerous areas and thousands of soldiers have been deployed.

 

Soulik is set to arrive in mainland China's eastern provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang later on Saturday.

 

Local authorities there have been asked to implement emergency response plans, China's state-run news agency Xinhua reported, after recent torrential rain across large parts of the country reportedly left 200 people dead or missing.

 

Uprooted trees

 

Typhoon Soulik, a medium-force typhoon, had wind speeds of around 173 km/h (100 mph) on Saturday morning.

 

It made landfall at around 03:00 on Saturday (19:00 GMT on Friday), Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau reported.

 

A police officer was killed by falling bricks but other people suffered mostly light injuries, including from fallen trees or being blown off their scooters.

 

The strong winds and heavy rain have caused electricity disruptions, a run on food and essential supplies in supermarkets, and uprooted trees and signs in some areas.

 

This typhoon is the first to hit Taiwan this year and there had been fears of major damage because the island was the first place it made landfall, reports the BBC's Cindy Sui in the capital Taipei.

 

Nearly 50,000 soldiers have been put on standby, she says.

 

Schools and offices in Taipei and several other cities had closed on Friday afternoon as the tropical storm neared.

 

Some flights to Taiwan have been disrupted, with both Cathay Pacific and China Airlines announcing cancellations.

 

Precautionary measures have been taken to close the roads and bridges along areas most susceptible to disaster, officials said.

 

Fishing boats had been returned to the shore before the typhoon hit, and members of the public were urged to avoid mountain and coastal areas.

 

Evacuated residents - including 3,000 from Kaohsiung city and 2,000 from Pingtung county in the south of Taiwan - have been taken to local government buildings that have been turned into shelters, Agence France Presse reported.

 

More than 2,000 tourists had earlier been evacuated from Taiwan's Green Island, near the city of Taitung, as a precaution.

 

Typhoons are common during the summer in parts of East Asia, where the warm moist air and low pressure conditions enable tropical cyclones to form.

 

In 2009, Taiwan was hit by Typhoon Morakot, which left hundreds dead in floods and mudslides.

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LATEST ABOUT TYPHOON (AFTER TAIWAN HEADING FOR CHINA)

 

China evacuations as typhoon hits

 

Some 300,000 people are forced from their homes in China where Typhoon Soulik is gradually moving inland, amid warnings of floods and landslides.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ + http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23300439

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 14 JULY 2013

 

 

AROUND HALF MILLION EVACUATED IN CHINA

 

Typhoon "Soulik" ravaged China with the coastal province of Fuijan as first stop. This occurred early Sunday morning.

 

½ million people have been evacuated.

 

"Soulik" is the first typhoon in the region in 2013, and with wind speeds of 118 km per hour it made landfall on China's south-eastern coast.

 

Before China "Soulik" ravaged TAIWAN where 2 people died as a consequence of this typhoon. 104 were injured and 1 missing following the typhoon.

 

The typhoon has weakened to a tropical depression before reacing the Chinese mainland.

 

Source: Norwegian NRK News

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 15 JULY 2013

 

 

MORE THAN 100 DEAD AND 180 PEOPLE REPORTED MISSING IN CHINA FOLLOWING THE BAD WEATHER IN CONNECTION WITH TYPHOON "SOULIK"

 

At least 295 people are confirmed dead or reported missing following the bad weather with heavy rain and typhoon "Soulik" in CHINA. This combination triggered massive destruction in the form of floods, landslides and collapsed buildings.

 

Rain has been pouring down in the SICHUAN province since 7 July. At least 68 have been found dead, whereas 179 people are missing according to the authorities.

 

41 people have lost their lives in other parts of CHINA, and 2 people are missing.

 

More than ½ million people were evacuated from their homes before arrival of typhoon "Soulik".

 

Sources: Norwegian NRK News and Swedish SVT Text

 

 

ALMOST 6,000 DEAD IN FLOODINGS IN NORTH INDIA IN JUNE

 

6,000 people have been reported missing following the flood in north INDIA in June.

 

Indian authorities establish that the missing are probably dead.

 

"5,748 people are recorded as missing, and the process with compensation to their families starts tomorrow, says the minister in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. For each victim the families will receive 500,000 Rupien (or about 6,500 Euro).

 

In the middle of June 2013 the water masses and landslides with rocks destroyed almost 2,000 streets and bridges in HIMALAYA.

 

More than 100,000 people were evacuated by rescue teams / the army.

 

The flood resulted in landslides that swept away many houses in villages in the mountainous area. Roads and bridges were also destroyed.

 

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

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 19 JULY 2013

 

 

5 DEAD IN TURKEY FOLLOWING LANDSLIDE

 

At least 5 people - a grandmother and her 4 grandchildren - have been killed in / by a landslide in the South Turkish province of HATAY. 12 other were injured as a house collapsed in the village of Göcek. 6 houses have been destroyed according to the news agency Anadolu citing the authorities.

 

Rescuers have been sent (deployed) to the region. Helicopters were looking for possible other victims.

 

There had been heavy rain and landslides in the region.

 

http://www.ard-text.de/index.php?page=144 + Swedish SVT Text

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 21 JULY 2013

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23394409

 

21 July 2013 Last updated at 07:26 GMT

 

New Zealand earthquake damages Wellington parliament

 

A minute-long earthquake has shaken New Zealand, halting trains and damaging Wellington's parliament building.

 

The 6.5-magnitude tremor was centred 35 miles (57 km) off the coast south of the capital at a depth of 6.3 miles, said the US Geological Survey.

 

But while some structural damage and power cuts were reported, officials said there was no risk of a tsunami.

 

The quake hit at 17:09 (05:09 GMT) and was felt as far north as Auckland.

 

It smashed windows, knocked stock off shop shelves and burst some water pipes, but there have been no reports of serious casualties.

 

Wellington resident James Barwell said the earthquake had caused power cuts in the city suburbs and prompted the temporary closure of its airport.

 

"There's been a bit of structural damage, lots of shattered glass everywhere," he told the BBC. "Initially there were a few screams and panic, people thought it was another Christchurch."

 

A 6.3-magnitude earthquake centred near Christchurch in February 2011 killed 185 people.

 

Sunday's tremor was the latest in a series that have shaken the lower half of New Zealand's North Island in recent days.

 

New Zealand lies on the notorious Ring of Fire, the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim.

 

The country experiences more than 14,000 earthquakes a year, of which only around 20 have a magnitude in excess of 5.0.

 

 

ONE News: At least one injured as severe quake strikes (3 hrs ago = 11:30 central European time)

 

 

Danish TV2 News: Heavy rain results in massive flooding in Northern Mexico.

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO EARTHQUAKES ON 21 AND 22 JULY 2013

 

 

Earthquake shook New Zealand on 21.7.13

 

At least 35 houses were damaged in New Zealand's capital Wellington by a powerful earthquake that had magnitude 6.5.

 

There was not much material damage. And there were no deaths and only a few (at least 1) injury.

 

A few windows were shattered.

 

A 15m wide piece of land disappeared into the harbour.

 

Wellington has been shaken by 100 aftershocks.

 

Sources: German ARDtext + ZDFtext

 

 

 

47 DEATHS IN CONNECTION WITH EARTHQUAKE IN NORTH-WESTERN CHINA

 

At least 47 people have been killed by 2 earthquakes occurring almost at the same time in Northwestern China

 

Almost 300 other people have been injured according to the authorities in the Gansu province.

 

State-TV showed pictures of villages with streets full of rubble.

 

The remote mountainous region is difficult to reach for rescue teams.

 

According to US Geological Survey (USGS) the quake had a magnitude of 5.9 or 5.6 west of Beidao.

 

Earthquakes are quite frequent in West China.

 

Sources: German ARDtext + ZDFtext and Danish TV2 News / dr.dk/news

 

 

EDIT of death toll: Now rising to at least 75 people.

 

 

China's Gansu hit by deadly quakes

 

Two powerful earthquakes hit China's north-west Gansu province, killing at least 75 people and leaving more than 400 others injured.

 

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

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-23401470

 

 

Monday evening: DEATH TOLL RISEN TO 89 - SEVERAL HUNDRED INJURED (German, Swedish and Danish media)

 

Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende on 23.7.13 / REUTERS: The quake that had magnitude 6.6 on the Richter scale hit the Minxian and Zhangxian regions around 170 km south of the province capital Lanzhou.

 

The region is very mountainous. 8 towns situated in difficult-to-reach areas are said to be heavily damaged according to news agency Xinhua. And the quake was followed by floodings and landslides.

 

From photos posted on Chinas social media it appeared that roads along the rivers of the province were washed away and houses were reduced to rubble.

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO EARTHQUAKES, HEAVY RAIN START OF AUGUST 2013

 

 

Magnitude 6.0 earthquake in Japan not far from the place destroyed by the mega-earthquake and ensuing tsunami on 11.3.2011. This time no reports of deaths and no tsunami.

 

 

AFGHANISTAN & PAKISTAN: CHOCK RAIN KILLING MORE THAN 160 PEOPLE

 

At least 85 people have been killed by floodings in the normally very dry Afghanistan. Just as many have died in the neighbouring country PAKISTAN after unusually heavy rain caused rivers to overflow their banks.

 

Worst hit is SAROBI - a mountainous landdistrict one hours drive from Afghanistan's capital KABUL. Here at least 61 people have been killed and more than 500 houses have been washed away by rain - and flood water in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

 

The water level is falling, and the people have begun returning to their houses, but until September more rain than what is normal is expected.

 

It is difficult for emergency aid to reach those affected because many roads in the affected region are controlled by Taliban forces according to a spokesman for Afghanistan's authorities.

 

The repeated occurrences of high tide is/are a consequence of the global climate change according to the authority in charge of disaster management.

 

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

 

 

 

15 DEAD IN SOUTHERN INDIA FOLLOWING MONSOON RAIN

 

At least 15 people died following monsoon rainfalls in southern India.

 

Several landslides had torn away houses in Kerala and flooded streets.

 

One bus and several cars were overturned by avalanches of mud.

 

Source: German ARDtext

[nancyk58]

The powerful / strong storm on 28.10.13 killed at least 16 people in Europe

 

5 died in the UK, 7 in Germany, two in the Netherlands, one in France, 1 in Denmark.

 

Most deaths were caused by falling trees or tiles.

 

Sources: Danish dr.dk / news and TV2 news, German ZDFtext, Norwegian NRK News International

[nancyk58]

Latest from the Philippines:

 

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

 

More than 120 people are reported killed by Typhoon Haiyan on one Philippines island, as the country tries to recover from the storm.

 

Millions were affected. Substantial material damage.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24878801

 

Aviation officials said 100 bodies were lying in the streets of the city of Tacloban. Local journalists reported 20 bodies in a church in a nearby town.

 

The storm destroyed buildings and triggered landslides. The military has begun relief efforts.

 

Video from the city showed it engulfed by water when the typhoon struck.

 

It was one of the most powerful storms on record to make landfall.

 

Aid agencies are struggling to reach Tacloban, as its airport has been badly damaged but military flights are able to operate, the BBC's Jon Donnison reports from Manila.

 

Communications to some of the worst-hit areas were cut off when the storm hit and it may be days before the final death toll is known.

 

So far, only four people have been confirmed dead and another four are missing.

 

"We have reports of collapsed buildings, houses flattened to the ground, storm surges and landslides," Philippine Red Cross chief Gwendolyn Pang told AFP news agency.

 

The storm made landfall on the Philippines shortly before dawn on Friday, bringing gusts that reached 379 km/h (235 mph), with waves as high as 15m (45ft), bringing up to 400mm (15.75 inches) of rain in places.

 

Meteorologists had earlier warned that the storm could be as devastating as Typhoon Bopha in 2012, which ravaged parts of the southern Philippines and left at least 1,000 people dead.

 

Schools and offices were closed, while ferry services and local flights were suspended. Hospitals and soldiers were on stand-by for rescue and relief operations.

 

Power and communication lines were also cut to some areas.

 

Haiyan raged across Leyte and Samar, turning roads into rivers, and battered Cebu city, the country's second largest with a population of 2.5 million.

 

Of the four confirmed dead, three were electrocuted and one was struck by lightning. Four are known to be missing.

 

Seven others were injured, but most of the confirmed casualties appear to be in areas less badly affected by the storm.

 

Also the deputy head of the Civil Aviation Authority, John Andrews, said he had spoken to Tacloban's airport manager, who had seen more than 100 bodies around the facility, and at least 100 more people injured.

 

Journalists from a local TV network said they had seen 20 bodies piled up in a church in Palo, 10km to the south of Tacloban.

 

The eye of the storm - known locally as Yolanda - passed well to the south of the capital Manila, but the city still felt its force.

 

In the typhoon's path were areas already struggling to recover from a deadly 7.3-magnitude earthquake last month, including the worst-hit island of Bohol where about 5,000 people are still living in tents.

 

The UK's ambassador to the Philippines, Asif Ahmad, announced on Saturday that a team of humanitarian experts would be sent by the UK "to assess needs and then mobilise resources".

 

The head of the EU's delegation to the Philippines, Guy Ledoux, had earlier told local media that the EU was also sending a humanitarian aid team.

 

Officials had said more than 12 million people were at risk.

 

Vietnam evacuation

 

The typhoon is now heading for Vietnam, and is expected to make landfall on Sunday.

 

Vietnamese authorities have begun the mass evacuation of more than 100,000 people.

 

State media in Vietnam report that schools are being closed and people living in low lying coastal areas are being moved to temporary typhoon shelters on higher ground. Shipping has also been ordered back to port.

[nancyk58]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24878801

 

Hundreds of people are feared dead in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan swept through on Friday.

 

Among the worst hit areas were the eastern island of Leyte and the coastal city of Tacloban, which saw buildings flattened in a storm surge.

 

First reports said 100 bodies had been found there but the Red Cross later estimated a figure of more than 1,000, with 200 more deaths in Samar province.

 

Hundreds of thousands of people are reported displaced from their homes.

 

Typhoon Haiyan - one of the most powerful storms on record to make landfall - is now bearing down on Vietnam, where tens of thousands are being evacuated.

 

The BBC Weather Centre says the typhoon is expected to make landfall south of Hanoi on Monday afternoon local time (between 03:00 and 09:00 GMT), although it will have decreased markedly in strength.

 

Storm surge

 

The latest report from the Philippines' Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council confirmed 138 deaths as of 10:00 GMT on Saturday. It said almost 350,000 people had been reported displaced.

 

Communications to some of the worst-hit areas were cut off when the storm hit and it may be days before the final death toll and the full extent of the damage is known.

 

Some 15,000 troops have been deployed to the disaster zones. However, rescuers are struggling to get to remote areas, hampered by debris and damaged roads.

 

There were reports of looting from at least one department store in Tacloban.

 

As darkness fell on Saturday, many areas were without electricity.

 

Jim Pe, deputy mayor of Coron town on the island of Busuanga, said most houses and buildings there had been destroyed or damaged.

 

Vietnam evacuation

 

The typhoon is now heading for Vietnam. Current projections suggest it could move northwards along the coast from Sunday afternoon local time before making landfall south of Hanoi.

 

The BBC Weather Centre says sustained wind speeds at landfall are currently forecast to be in the region of 75-80 mph (120-130 km/h), with gusts up to 115 mph.

 

Authorities there have begun the mass evacuation of more than 200,000 people.

 

State media report that schools are being closed and people living in low-lying coastal areas are being moved to typhoon shelters on higher ground. Shipping has also been ordered back to port.

 

Some 170,000 soldiers have been mobilised to provide emergency relief.

[nancyk58]

From Danish TV2 News live at 8am (cet):

 

According to a leading policeman in the LEUTE province: At least 10,000 dead.

 

In the Samar province: 300 dead and 2,000 missing according to the news agency AFP.

 

Substantial material damage.

 

Shortage of water, food, shelter, blankets and medicine.

 

The typhoon is getting less and less intense = less powerful / strong. But the tropical storm (ex-hurricane) is absorbing a lot sea water so lots of rain (and ensuing flooding) is in store for a chinese island and Vietnam where it is heading for. But being less intense the material damage is not expected to be as bad here as in the Philippines.

 

600,000 people have been evacuated in Vietnam.

[nancyk58]

TYPHOON KILLS AT LEAST 13 IN VIETNAM

 

The powerful typhoon Hayian - aka. Yolanda in the Philippines - has lost some power, but it continues to claim human lives.

 

In Vietnam the authorities confirm that at least 13 died and 81 were wounded. Several international media report this.

 

The typhoon hit the northern Vietnam on the border of CHINA and close to the popular tourist resort/destination Ha Long Bay.

 

Worst hit were the northern coastal areas. Hanoi, the capital, was hardly hit.

 

Almost 900,000 Vietnamese had been evacuated.

 

In the south-Chinese province of Hainan at least 3 people died due to the storm.

 

Haiyan is one of the most powerful typhoons ever recorded, but it has now been degraded to a tropical storm.

 

Danish dr.dk/news + Swedish SVT Text

 

 

 

US AIRCRAFTS BRINGING AID TO THE PHILIPPINES

 

US C-130 aircrafts loaded with emergency goods were Monday underway to Tacloban - the capital on the island of LEYTE - where 10,000 people are believed to have been killed in a city with normally 220,000 inhabitants and now totally destroyed. Dead bodies are lying in the streets.

 

Local security forces are deployed to fight lootings and desperate actions in the area.

 

The authorities fear that the death toll will increase when the worst affected communities along the coast are reached. One of them is Guiuan with 40,000 inhabitants. So far the official death toll is 942. Many died in places that should have been safe such as churches, schoools and public buildings that were destroyed.

 

9.5 million people have been affected and ten thousands of homes (up to 23,000) have been destroyed.

 

660,000 were forced to leave their homes due to the tropical storm / hurricane and are now homeless.

 

Many foreign countries have pledged help to the Philippines, and the UN has assured of emergency assistance to the many affected by the hurricane.

 

Emergency aid is beginning to reach the capital MANILA. It is difficult for the rescue teams and aid agencies to reach the worst hit areas because many areas / villages are cut off from the outside world with impassable roads filled with trash and debris.

 

Hundred thousands of people are in despair waiting for food, water and medicine.

 

Many countries - among them Norway, EU countries and the USA - are sending emergency goods to the Philippines. Many countries would like to send more but emergency funds are rather scarce due to the humanitarian crisis in Syria.

 

The biggest aid agencies such as i.a. Red Cross are supporting the Philippines. Populations in many countries (i.a. Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Germany) have responded to appeals from the aid agencies to donate.

 

Germany has pledges 500,000 Euro emergency aid. The EU has made 3 million Euro available.

 

The USA sent food and equipment for purification of water and in addition also soldiers.

 

Source: Danish dr.dk/news earlier today (11.11.13) + Swedish SVT Text + TV4 text + Norwegian NRK News International

 

 

MORE BAD WEATHER HEADING FOR THE PHILIPPINES

 

Meteorologists warn that more bad weather is underway with rain and strong winds.

 

Right now the Philippines experience strong winds and rain over the southern parts of the Philippines. This is very bad for the people who have lost their homes.

 

 

PRESIDENT BENIGNO AQUINO CONSIDERS DECLARATION OF STATE OF EMERGENCY IN TYPHOON-AFFECTED AREAS TO PUT AN END TO WIDESPREAD LOOTING

 

In worst-hit Tacloban there are many reports of people looting shops for food and other goods.

 

A truck loaded with food, tents and water was attacked (and looted) by a crowd of people.

 

The same thing happened on a bridge in Leute - according to the local Red Cross. According to local media, minibanks have been robbed.

 

Source: Norwegian NRK News International

 

 

POWERFUL STORM KILLS 100 IN NORTH-EASTERN SOMALIA - HUNDREDS MISSING / STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED IN PUNTLAND

 

Stormy weather and floodings plus landslides have claimed at least 100 human lives the past week-end in the half-autonomous region of Puntland in Somalia.

 

A powerful storm hit the towns of Bandarbeyle and Eyl last Saturday and Sunday. About 100 people have died. Hundreds of houses and domestic animals were washed away in connection with the floodings, says Abdirahman Mohamud Farole who is the region's president.

 

"We call on the UN aid agencies to help the victims", he said. The power is down and fishing boats destroyed.

 

Hundreds of people remain missing.

 

Source: Danish dr.dk/news + TV2 News and Swedish SVT Text + Norwegian NRK News International and German ARDtext + ZDFtext

[nancyk58]

115 PEOPLE KILLED BY TYPHOON IN SOMALIA, AFRICA

 

At least 115 people were killed when a typhoon hit northwestern Somalia last Sunday.

 

"Most of the area was destroyed. Entire villages were torn away. Some areas are not accessible, and many are missing", says Ahmed Adan, spokesman of the Somalia Prime Minister.

 

The typhoon was followed by several days of rain causing massive floodings.

 

Several houses, boats and agricultural animals were washed out into the Indian Ocean as a consequence of massive water masses.

 

The PM has asked for international assistance.

 

Source: Danish TV2 News / nyhederne.tv2.dk on 16.11 (mentioned on live tv on 15.11)

[nancyk58]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24982072

 

18 November 2013 Last updated at 18:38 GMT

 

Deadly tornadoes hit US Midwest states

 

Powerful tornadoes have swept through the US Midwest, destroying buildings and overturning vehicles in the states of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky.

 

At least eight people were killed and it is feared that several hundred people may have been injured in the fast-moving storms.

 

A number of people are feared trapped inside buildings.

 

Forecasters said people in 10 states had been at risk. Hailstones the size of tennis balls were reported.

 

The storm was so fast-moving - with winds of up to 111km/h (68mph) - that forecasters warned people not to wait until they saw the weather change.

 

It is continuing its way east.

 

November is ordinarily one of the quietest months in the tornado calendar, meaning these storms are unusually destructive for this time of year, the BBC's Nick Bryant in New York reports.

 

'War zone'

 

About 80 reports of tornadoes had come in by late Sunday, said the National Weather Service - though a spokesman cautioned that multiple reporting meant the actual number might be about 30 or 40.

 

Six fatalities were reported in Illinois, the hardest hit state.

 

Three people died in southern Massac County, and one person died in the town of Washington, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency said. Between 250 and 500 homes were either damaged or destroyed in the town.

 

An 80-year-old man and his 78-year-old sister were killed when a tornado struck their farmhouse in the rural southern Illinois village of New Minden.

 

Two others were killed in Michigan - a 21-year-old man whose vehicle was crushed by a fallen free, and a 59-year-old man found entangled in high-voltage power lines.

 

Eyewitnesses described how large parts of Washington had been levelled by the tornadoes.

 

"The whole neighbourhood's gone. The wall of my fireplace is all that is left of my house," Michael Perdun told news agency Associated Press by mobile phone from Washington, where he said his neighbourhood was wiped out in seconds.

 

"I stepped outside and I heard it coming," he said. "My daughter was already in the basement, so I ran downstairs and grabbed her, crouched in the laundry room and all of a sudden I could see daylight up the stairway and my house was gone."

 

Another resident returned from a trip to find her home completely blown away by the tornado.

 

"A lot of people have a pile of rubble still," Michelle Cumrine told the AFP news agency. "I don't have anything. It's gone. I don't know where it went."

 

Illinois officials are describing the situation as "dangerous and volatile". State trooper Dustin Pierce told agencies there had been reports of looting in Washington and a dusk-till-dawn curfew had been imposed.

 

Karen Harris, a food truck operator in Washington, told the BBC she saw a "car completely mangled, the houses gone".

 

"Telephone wires [are] down everywhere, live wires are still down. I'm pretty traumatised from what I saw.

 

"I actually saw a vehicle in the middle of the road, their left signal light turned on, like they were getting ready to turn, all the windows were out of it, blood was in the back seat.

 

"Pandemonium. It looks like a war zone," Ms Harris added.

 

Illinois police say they fear residents may be trapped in their basements under debris.

 

In nearby Peoria, dozens of patients are being treated - some for serious injuries.

 

Tens of thousands of residents were without power in Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky, utility companies said. Parts of Wisconsin and Ohio were also hit by the storm.

 

American football fans were evacuated from a stadium in the centre of Chicago as one tornado moved through the city suburbs.

 

The White House said President Barack Obama was being regularly updated on the situation.

 

Laura Nightengale, a reporter with the Journal Star newspaper in Peoria, Illinois, witnessed the approach of a tornado from inside a house in the town.

 

"From the window I saw this huge tornado, tonnes of debris flying through the air.

 

"I took shelter in the basement. The area that was hit, it's just absolutely devastated - entire blocks where homes stood this morning right now are just rubble," Ms Nightengale told the BBC.

 

The National Weather Service warned that showers, thunderstorms and windy conditions were likely for much of the north-eastern US on Monday morning.

 

Some storms "could contain strong winds, hail and even an isolated tornado", it said.

 

 

This news item of deadly tornadoes in US midwest states was also reported in international media i.a. in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Germany

 

 

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24996292

 

19 November 2013 Last updated at 21:41 GMT

 

Sardinia hit by deadly Cyclone Cleopatra and floods

 

At least 18 people, including four children, have been killed in flooding on the Italian island of Sardinia after a cyclone and heavy rain.

 

A number of people are reported missing after rivers burst their banks. Cars were swept away and bridges collapsed.

 

The area around the north-eastern city of Olbia was worst-hit - in some places the water was up to 3m (10ft) deep.

 

Prime Minister Enrico Letta has declared a state of emergency, speaking of a "national tragedy".

 

Mr Letta announced that 20 million euros (£16.8m, $27m) would be allocated immediately to emergency relief efforts, with soldiers deployed in the region.

 

"We are focusing on essential operations: saving human lives, assisting displaced people and clearing road access," he said after an emergency cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

 

More than 440mm (17.3in) of rain fell in 90 minutes overnight into Tuesday morning.

 

Victims

 

A Brazilian family of four drowned when their basement flat in the town of Arzachena, in the northern part of the island, filled with water. Two children were among the dead.

 

Three people died when a road bridge collapsed on to their car near Olbia, according to local media.

 

In a separate incident, a mother and her daughter were found dead in their car after it was swept away by floods.

 

Among the victims was a police officer who died after a bridge collapsed as he tried to escort an ambulance.

 

Hundreds of people across the Mediterranean island have been moved from their homes because of the flash flooding caused by Cyclone Cleopatra.

 

"We're at maximum alert," Giorgio Cicalo, an official from Sardinia's civil protection authority, told Italy's Rai TV.

 

"We haven't seen a situation as extreme as this, perhaps for decades - especially because it's been across the whole island."

 

'Apocalyptic'

 

Sardinian Governor Ugo Cappellacci told Italian TV that the situation on the island was "dramatic".

 

Meanwhile Olbia Mayor Gianni Giovanelli was quoted by Sky TG24 as saying that the city had been hit by an "apocalyptic"' storm.

 

Some city residents used social media to offer shelter to those forced out of their homes.

 

The BBC Weather Centre says the flooding was caused by a deep area of low pressure that has been sitting over the Mediterranean, bringing sustained heavy rain.

 

The unstable conditions are expected to move across Italy and further east, bringing further downpours and the threat of flooding, particularly in Venice.

 

The storm caused extensive damage to farms in Sardinia and disrupted a number of flights to and from mainland Italy.

 

Italian President Giorgio Napolitano has expressed "solidarity with the communities involved" and "heartfelt sympathy to the families of the many victims".

 

Also many pictures in relation to this on http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24996292

 

Also reported on the international media i.a. in Denmark / Norway, Sweden and Germany