NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 26 / 27 JUNE 2012


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18598168

26 June 2012 Last updated at 23:12 GMT

Florida braced for new Tropical Storm Debby rain

Heavy rain from Tropical Storm Debby, which has made landfall in north-western Florida, is continuing to hit the state's Gulf coast.

Up to 8in (20cm) of rain and flooding is forecast for the next two days, the National Hurricane Center says.

Florida officials have ordered an evacuation for thousands in anticipation of flooding.

President Barack Obama said his administration was ready to offer federal assistance to Florida.

In a phone call, the president asked Florida Governor Rick Scott "to continue to identify any additional support his administration could provide, and told the governor that his thoughts and prayers are with the citizens of Florida", a statement from the White House said.

Mr Scott declared a statewide emergency on Monday, allowing the state to suspend certain laws as it responds to the storm, and access federal funds.

As much as 26in (66cm) of rain is thought to have fallen on coastal Wakulla County, the Associated Press reports.

Parts of the cross-state Interstate 10 have been closed because of flooding.

By landfall, the storm had maximum sustained wind speeds of 40mph (65 km/h), the NHC said.

It was expected to be downgraded to a tropical depression by Tuesday evening.

Debby is crawling east at a speed of about 6mph and is not expected to cross the state until Wednesday afternoon.

Flooding remains a primary concern, with emergency managers ordering the evacuation of 14,000 to 20,000 people living between the Anclote and Pithlachascotee rivers in the central Gulf Coast area.

The Anclote has risen from nine feet to 27ft since Debby's approach, far above major flood level, Pasco County spokesman Eric Keaton told the AP.

Meanwhile, crews in neighbouring Alabama are continuing their search for a South Carolina man missing off the coast.

The man, who was on holiday with his family, disappeared on Sunday afternoon in rough surf off Orange Beach.

A woman killed in a tornado whipped up by the storm on Sunday is reported to have been a young mother who died when her house was lifted off its foundations.

Heather Town was found holding her baby in her arms - but the infant survived.

"She was a great mother, and held her baby through all of this and held her so tight," Elmer Town, the child's father, told local news station WFLA-TV.

"She was holding her during the tornado. And when they found her, she was still holding her."

Residents in low-lying neighbourhoods near the Florida coast have been advised to leave their homes, while the bridge to St George Island - a popular holiday spot - has been closed off.

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 27 JUNE 2012

MORE THAN 90 PEOPLE DIED IN LANDSLIDES IN BANGLADESH

Heavy rain and landslides have cost more than 90 human lives in Bangladesh. Many were buried while asleep. 200,000 people are affected

Scores of people have died in the south-eastern Bangladesh in the Chittagong region where 3 days of heavy monsoon rain triggered massive flooding. Numerous houses were damaged or destroyed by avalanches of mud and rocks..

Around the port city of CHITTAGONG, at least 26 people have died in landslides or due to enormous masses of water (40 cm = 400 mm of rain in only 12 hours).

The army will be deployed to help with the rescue efforts in the worst-hit area in the Chittagong area according to a local senior official.

The government has promised to help the population in the affected areas with food and financial funds.
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Sources: TV2 News (updated at 13.22 central European time) + Swedish SVT Text + german ARDtext


USA: A BIG WILDFIRE in the NATIONAL PARK of WALDO CANYON in the US state of COLORADO has forced 32,000 PEOPLE to leave their homes. The fire is one of 29 big wildfires hitting western USA. Source: SVT Text


RECORD-HEATWAVE MAKES THE FIRE-EXTINGUISHING EFFORTS MUCH HARDER / VERY DIFFICULT IN COLORADO

There are big on-going wildfires in the forests in the Rocky Mountains. Close to the city of Colorado Springs, the flames were nourished by the heat and have spread to more quarters. More than 9,000 inhabitants had to leave the threatened areas.

Source: German ZDFtext


17 PEOPLE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING AT SWEDISH MUSIC FESTIVAL - ONLY SLIGHTLY INJURED

These people suffered only slight injuries. They had no visible injuries, but they held umbrellas and other power-conducting in their hands when the lightning struck.

They are all conscious and are able to walk.

The Peace & Love festival is one of Sweden's largest festivals. This year Rihanna, Mumford & Sons, Roxette & Swedish KENT were among the performers.

It had been good weather, but began raining. The rain intensified and suddenly there was also thunder.

Source: Danish free newspaper MetroXpress on 27 June 2012

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18612897

28 June 2012 Last updated at 01:31 GMT

Colorado Springs under threat as 32,000 flee Waldo fire

More than 32,000 people have fled Colorado's second-biggest city because of raging wildfires that have hit six other US states.

Traffic and smoke choked the streets as people left Colorado Springs and a nearby US Air Force Academy.

Evacuation orders were issued for much of the city as the fire doubled in size to over 24 sq miles (62 sq km). Some 800 firefighters have been deployed.

President Barack Obama is to tour the affected areas on Friday.

Just weeks into the annual wildfire season, there are also fires in Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, California and Utah.

In Utah, a body was found in the ashes of a fast-moving wildfire to the south of Salt Lake City.

'Epic firestorm'

At a press briefing on Wednesday morning, officials in Colorado said fire crews had worked through the night. But the blaze was only 5% contained.

Weather conditions were not favourable.

Dry, hot temperatures are expected to continue across much of the US this week, with little chance of rain.

"We do expect all of our lines to be challenged today," incident commander Richard Harvey said, adding that erratic winds could make their job harder.

One Colorado Springs hospital said it had treated about 20 patients in the last 24 hours for respiratory-related illnesses, a local newspaper reported.

The Waldo Canyon Fire, which began on Saturday, has been fanned towards Colorado Springs by winds of up to 65mph (104km/h).

"It was like looking at the worst movie set you could imagine," Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper said after surveying the fire from the air on Tuesday.

"It's almost surreal. You look at that, and it's like nothing I've seen before."

Heavy ash and smoke was billowing from the hillsides west of Colorado Springs and southbound traffic was temporarily closed on Interstate 25, which runs through the city.

Fleeing residents covered their faces with T-shirts to breathe through the smoke.

"It took us an hour to drive a mile because of the traffic. It was really tense. As we were driving, the ash was falling out of the sky. We couldn't see the street because of the smoke," Colorado Springs resident Hillory Davis, 22, told the BBC.

Meanwhile, Richard Brown, the Colorado Springs fire chief, described the blaze as a "firestorm of epic proportions".

The city of 419,000 people is Colorado's second largest, situated just off the main north-south highway.

It is home to the sprawling campus of the US Air Force Academy, the top school for cadets joining the Air Force.

On Wednesday afternoon, academy officials said the fire had spread to about 10 acres of the campus. Some 2,100 people were evacuated from base housing overnight.

Firefighters from the Air Force and local crews were trying to stop the blaze reaching the academy.

Elsewhere in Colorado, the High Park fire in the west of the state has been burning for weeks and remains barely half contained, although fewer homes are under imminent threat.


German ARDtext: COLORADO SPRINGS THREATENED / 36,000 PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES


40 WORKERS MISSING AFTER LANDSLIDE IN CHINA

A hydroelectric plant under construction in south-western China was struck by a landslide today, Thursday 28.6.12. About 40 workers are missing.

Heavy rain in the mountainous Sichuan province caused a landslide in the night between Wednesday and Thursday.

Rescuers were underway up to the affected dam and hydroelectric plant Baihetan today (Thursday 28.6.12).

Between 38 and 41 workers live and work at the dam.

Source: Norwegian text-TV / NRK

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 29 JUNE 2012

5 PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN CONNECTION WITH THE FIREFIRES IN COLORADO SPRINGS / 2 ARE MISSING

US President Barack Obama has declared the region affected by wildfires in the US state of COLORADO a disaster area. Thereby aid agencies and local authorities are guaranteed federal funds - so the White House immediately before Obama visisted the wildfire-stricken region.

At least one person has died due to the enormous fire near the city of COLORADO SPRINGS. Another person in the same house is missing.

I have read on NRK that the death toll is now 5 people plus 2 missing.

The fire threatens more than 20,000 houses. 7.500 hectares of land has already been destroyed.

Source: German ZDFtext


DEVASTATING FIREFIRE IN EASTERN SPAIN

Several villages and communities south-west of the port city of VALENCIA have been evacuated due to the smoke. [

COLOR="Yellow"]More than 700 people had to leave their homes according to the authorities.[/COLOR]

Alberto Fabra who is the head of government of the Spanish autonomous community of Valencian Community characterized the fire as the "worst disaster for many years".

Source: German text-tv / ARDtext


1 DEAD AS PARTS OF UK WERE RAVAGED BY LOTS OF RAIN RESULTING IN FLOODING AND EVACUATION OF SEVERAL HUNDRED RESIDENTIAL HOUSES

In the Shropshire region in western England one man lost his life as he was washed away by the water masses.

Hundreds had to be evacuated, and the material damage is substantial.

In only one single hour on Thursdag 28.6.12, parts of Central England had as much as 22 mm of rain. This is one third of June's normal amount of rain.

Source: Norwegian text-TV on NRK

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 29 AND 30 JUNE 2012

IFAW is rushing to save animals from terrible flooding that has submerged vast areas of Assam, India.

27 people have tragically lost their lives to the raging water, and 900,000 residents have been forced to flee their homes.

Local officials have set up 1,500 temporary shelters for the human survivors

Info (excerpt) from IFAW petition for donations to help the animal victims (go to their website to donate).


POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE (MAGNITUDE 6.3) SHAKES NORTH-WESTERN CHINA

The earthquake occurred in a remote region in western China close to the Kasachstan border.

According to initial reports, 10 people - mainly tourists - have been injured. So the state-run news agency Xinhua

Some houses in a village close to the epicentre of the quake have collapsed.

(Headline from german ZDFtext)


OBAMA PLEDGES FEDERAL FUNDS TO ASSIST THE REGION AFFECTED BY WILDFIRES IN COLORADO / MANY PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE BAD WEATHER IN THE USA AS MANY ARE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY / POWER (headlines from German ZDFtext)

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS / INFO ABOUT EARTHQUAKES / VOLCANIC ERUPTION ON 30 JUNE + 1 JULY, 2012

INDIA's NORTH-EASTERN STATE of ASSAM AFFECTED BY FLOODING

Areas at the Tataliguri in the Morigoan district are flooded. Large parts of ASSAM have been flooded aftter heavy monsoon rain.

At least 27 have died, and more than 10,000 were forced to leave their homes.

Source: The Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende on 1 July 2012


5,000 EVACUATED IN COLOMBIA AFTER VOLCANIC ERUPTION

As a precaution, a large area has been evacuated after the volcano, Nevado del Riuz started spewing ash and smoke.

The volcano is located 180 km west of Colombia's capital BOGOTA and is 5,300m high.

In 1985, 25,000 people were killed in connection with an volcanic eruption, and then 5,000 were injured.

Source: Danish text-TV / DR1 Text TV on 30.6.12)


11 DEAD IN USA AFTER POWERFUL STORM.

3.2 MILLION IN STRETCH BETWEEN INDIANA AND NEW JERSEY WITHOUT POWER AFTER HURRICANE.

CAPITAL WASHINGTON + 3 NEIGHBOURING STATES VIRGINIA (DECLARED in STATE of EMERGENCY) OHIO + WEST VIRGINIA WORST HIT.

Source: Danish DR1 text

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Saturday I read on German text-TV that there had been a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in north-western China.

At least 24 people were injured. The affected area was sparsely populated and situated in Xinjiang.

The quake's epicentre was 150 km south-west of Shihezi in the Xinjiang province.

The quake / tremors could be felt far away i.a. in the provincial capital, Urumuqi.

At least 24 were injured - most of them when their houses collapsed. Other people were thrown out of their beds.

Source: NRK text-TV /NRK is Norwegian


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18663875

Storm-hit US states declare emergencies

States of emergency have now been declared in four states and the US capital after violent storms cut a swathe through the east of the country.

Thirteen deaths have been linked to the sudden storms, which, packing hurricane-strength winds, uprooted trees and downed power lines.

Amid an intense heatwave, three million people were left without power.

Power companies are warning that some may not have electricity restored for up to a week.

Officials have warned that the heatwave - compounded by the loss of air conditioning due to power outages - could threaten the very young, old and sick.

In Bradley county, eastern Tennessee, the high temperature has been blamed for the deaths of two brothers, age three and five, who were playing outside in 105F (40.6C) heat, Reuters news agency reports.

'Dangerous'

Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio and the District of Columbia have all now declared states of emergency.

Virginia Gov Bob McDonnell said the state - where six people died from the storms - had had its largest non-hurricane power outage in history.

"This is a very dangerous situation," he said, according to Associated Press.

Maryland Gov Martin O'Malley said the storms had been even more challenging than a hurricane, because unlike hurricanes they began without warning.

In Illinois, officials transferred 78 maximum-security inmates from a prison in Dixon after it suffered storm-related damage. Prisoners remaining in the Dixon jail were locked down - confined to their cells - while generators provided power.

According to a local newspaper, the transfer has prompted union officials to question plans to close correctional facilities amid already overcrowded conditions.

The storm damage also caused online disruption, with Netflix, Instagram and Pinterest services temporarily disabled.

Meanwhile, utility companies said they were working around the clock to repair damage which some described as catastrophic.

"We do understand the hardship that this brings, especially with the heat as intense at is. We will be working around the clock until we get the last customer on," said Myra Oppel, a spokeswoman for the utility Pepco, which serves Washington and its suburbs.

The National Weather Service has warned of more possible thunderstorms, saying it has three areas of particular concern: the northern Rockies, the mid-Mississippi River to Ohio Valleys and portions of the Mid-Atlantic into the Southeast, particularly the eastern Carolinas.

"The primary threats will be large hail and damaging winds; however, an isolated tornado can not be ruled out across southern Minnesota and Wisconsin as well as northern Iowa and Illinois," it said.

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NEWS ON 2 JULY 2012 IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS SUCH AS FLOODING, EARTHQUAKES AND HURRICANES


More than 100 have died in BANGLADESH in connection with FLOODING and LANDSLIDES (Danish TV2 News live)


DOZENS OF DEATHS (MORE THAN 80) AFTER HEAVY MONSOON RAINS IN NORTH-EASTERN INDIA

North-East India has experienced its worst flooding for 10 years.

In the past 4 days more than 80 have died. Most of the 80 died in the Indian state of ASSAM in the flooding caused by river Brahmaputra that burst its banks. In this connection entire villages were flooded.

ASSAM is situated on the border to Bhutan and Bangladesh.

More than 2.2 million people had to leave their homes in north-eastern India. 1/4 of these i.e. more than 500,000 sought refuge in emergency camps.

Thousands of houses were destroyed. Most of the national park Kaziranga is under water.

More than 2,000 Indian villages are affected by flooding.

Air Force helicopters are supplying drinking water and food to the affected population. Soldiers in boats have been rescuing villagers from house roofs.

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


MORE THAN 3 MILLION AMERICANS IN THE USA ARE STILL WITHOUT POWER / ELECTRICITY AFTER POWERFUL STORMS DURING HEATWAVE

The weather has cost 17 human lives. The temperatures reached up to 40 degrees Celsius.

States of emergencies have been declared in the US states of MARYLAND, OHIO, VIRGINIA + WEST VIRGINIA + in the capital, WASHINGTON.

Sources: German text-TV (ARDtext + ZDFtext)


AT LEAST 12 KILLED AFTER POWERFUL STORMS IN THE EASTERN USA

At least 12 people are reported dead after powerful storms ravaged EASTERN USA resulting in widespread power cuts. MORE THAN 3 MILLION HOMES AND COMPANIES are affected. This was reported by the news agency REUTERS.

In the US state of VIRGINIA, 6 PEOPLE have lost their lives due to the stormy weather. More than 1 MILLION people are WITHOUT POWER.

The US states of MARYLAND and NEW JERSEY have experieced deaths caused by trees falling on to houses and people.

The storm are ravaging as the US citizens are experiencing a MASSIVE HEATWAVE.

2 brothers, aged 3 and 5, are reported dead after playing outside in high temperatures - 40 degrees Celsius. This happened in the US state of TENNESSEE.

Several US states are in a state of EMERGENCY.

US president BARACK OBAMA has announced that HELP is under way to those affected by the storms.

Source: Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende on 2 July 2012


THOUSANDS EVACUATED AFTER VOLCANIC ERUPTION IN COLOMBIA

The Colombian authorities fear a repetition of a volcanic eruption on 13 november 1985 when 25,000 people lost their lives.

Consequently, almost 5,000 have been evacuated around the volcano Nevado del Ruiz which started spewing smoke and ash again on Saturday. So news agency REUTERS.

People from the nearby towns have been evacuated from the area situated in the Colombian part of the Andes mountains about 180 km west of the capital BOGOTA.

On 13 November 1985, Nevado del Ruiz - also known as KUMANDAY - erupted late in the evening when people were sleeping. 25,000 were killed and 5,000 injured.

Source: Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende on 2 July 2012



I read that Hordaland in NORWAY has experienced a magnitude 3.0 earthquake at 9 o'clock in the morning, local time.

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 5 JULY 2012


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18720207

5 July 2012 Last updated at 09:18 GMT

Somalia facing 'fresh hunger emergency'

Poor rains and continuing conflict in Somalia are threatening the recovery from last year's famine, the charity Save the Children has warned.

This could put hundreds of thousands of children at risk of hunger again.

The charity called for an urgent increase in aid as a huge number of families in Somalia are still unable to cope with the effects of drought.

Last year, East Africa was hit by the region's worst drought in 60 years and many thousands of people died.

'Food aid burnt'

It also triggered a major refugee crisis with hundreds of thousands of Somalis fleeing rural areas, much of which are controlled by Islamist militants who have banned international aid agencies.[/COLOR]

Many people walked over the border to camps in Kenya and Ethiopia or to Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, which is secured by African Union forces helping a UN-backed government.

On Monday, a website affiliated to the al-Qaeda group al-Shabab printed photographs of the militants burning sacks of food in the central Hiran region that it allegedly confiscated from the International Committee of the Red Cross.

It said that the food had gone bad and needed to be destroyed, the website reported.

At one stage six districts of Somalia were declared famine zones last year.

Save the Children called for both an urgent increase in emergency help and a new push to tackle the underlying causes of Somalia's vulnerability to hunger.

"We're going to have a very late harvest," Save the Children's Anne Mitaru told the BBC's Network Africa programme, saying this year's rains had come late and been poor.

The situation has been compounded by the fact that so many people have been displaced and the conflict which keeps food prices high, meaning families are unable to recover, she said.

The food crisis is most acute in southern regions of the country, where the al-Shabab militants are strongest.

The latest assessment from the World Bank says that outright famine is not anticipated but the situation remains serious.

Somalia has had no effective central government since 1991, and has been wracked by fighting ever since - a situation that has allowed piracy and lawlessness to flourish.


FLOODING IN INDIA AND BANGLADESH COST 79 AND 100 HUMAN LIVES RESPECTIVELY

The rainy season has forced millions to flee flooding and landslides in INDIA and BANGLADESH.

At least 79 have died in INDIA, while 2.2 million are fleeing the water masses.

In neighbouring BANGLADESH, the monsoon rain has had an extent never seen before according to the inhabitants. At least 100 have died, and 150,000 have been made homeless.

The rainy season ranges from JUNE to SEPTEMBER.

Source: Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende on 3.7.12


AT LEAST 9 - INCLUDING 6 CHILDREN - KILLED IN WATER MASSES IN SAMSUN PROVINCE IN NORTHERN TURKEY

Heavy rain caused the river of MERT to overflow its banks. Several apartments, offices and hospitals were consequently flooded.

So according to Hurriyet Daily News.

Source: Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende on 5 July 2012

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 7 JULY, 2012

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18751198

7 July 2012 Last updated at 15:10 GMT

Russia flash floods: Dozens die in Krasnodar region

At least 99 people have been killed after flash floods caused by torrential rain swept the southern Russian Krasnodar region, officials say.

The floods, the worst there in living memory struck at night, reportedly without warning.

Emergency teams have been sent from Moscow by plane and helicopter. TV pictures showed people scrambling onto their rooftops to escape.

At least 88 people died around the worst-hit town of Krymsk.

Crude oil shipments from the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk have suspended.

Russian TV showed thousands of houses in the region nearly completely submerged.

Some users of social media networks in Russia said Krymsk looked liked it was hit "by a tsunami". Others accused the authorities of not telling the whole truth about the disaster.

At least nine died in Gelendzhik and two in Novorossiysk. Dozens of people are reportedly missing, and there are fears that the death toll will rise further.

The Krasnodar-Novorossiysk motorway was cut, and the transport system in the region is said to have collapsed.

A statement by the Krasnodar regional administration said altogether 13,000 people had been affected by the floods.

'Something unimaginable'

Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov is on his way to the region.

Up to 1,000 rescuers are involved in searching for victims and evacuating survivors.

"The floods were very strong. Even traffic lights were ripped out," regional police spokesman Igor Zhelyabin told AFP news agency, adding that evacuations were under way.

Regional governor Alexander Tkachev tweeted after flying over the affected area that there was "something unimaginable" going on in Krymsk.

He said, quoted by the Russian Itar-Tass news agency, that "no-one can remember such floods in our history. There was nothing of the kind for the last 70 years".

Anna Kovalevskaya, who says she has relatives in Krymsk, told the BBC her family was caught unaware by the floods.

"The water started flooding in at 2am [22:00 GMT Friday]," she said.

"People were running out into the streets in their underwear and wrapping their children in blankets. People were only able to save their passports.

"There is no electricity and the shops are shut. Many people have lost everything and are in a state of panic."

The rains dumped as much as 28cm (11 inches) of water on parts of the Krasnodar region overnight, forcing many residents to take refuge in trees or on house roofs.

Oil pipeline operator Transneft said it had halted crude shipments out of Novorossiysk, but that its infrastructure in the port had been unaffected by the weather.

"Of course, we limited shipments, the port is located in the lower part of town, the whole landslide has moved towards it. As we speak, the rain has started again," spokesman Vladimir Sidorov told Reuters news agency.

German text-TV / ARDtext Saturday evening: DEATH TOLL has REACHED 103. Police increased their presence in the disaster-hit region in the southern part of the country to prevent looting.


MANY DEAD IN RUSSIAN FLOODING (sources: Swedish text-TV / SVT Text + Danish text-TV / DR Text)

About 100 people have died in flooding after cloudburst in the Krasnodar region near the Black Sea in Russia.

State of EMERGENCY has been declared in NOVOROSSIJSK where between 112 and 115 mm of rain fell during the past 24 hours. Several houses are reported flooded according to Russian Interfax.

More than 5,000 households have been affected, says Krasnodar's governor Alexander Tkatjov according to the news agency Itar-TASS.


German ZDFtext: Also bad weather in POLAND, CZECH REPUBLIC and SLOVAKIA during the night between Friday and Saturday.



6 MILLION PEOPLE IN NORTHEASTERN INDIA ARE FLEEING THE MONSOON WATER - 121 DEATHS

The monsoon rain that has fallen in the north-eastern INDIA for the past weeks has cost 121 human lives and forced 6 million people to leave their homes.

The big river, BRAHMAPUTRA, has burst its banks in several areas and caused MASSIVE LANDSLIDES.

Weather reports forecast more rain for the coming days.


The national park KAZIRANGA which is known for its tigers, elephants and rhinos is almost completely destroyed. More than 540 of the national park's animals have been reported dead in the water masses including 13 rhinos.

The Indian state of ASSAM (located close to the border to Bhutan and Bangladesh) is worst hit by the annual rainfalls that make the big river of BRAHMAPUTRA burst its banks.

Sources: Swedish text-TV / SVT Text + Danish text-TV (DR Text) + German text-TV (ZDFtext)


3 PEOPLE DEAD IN GERMANY IN CONNECTION WITH TORRENTIAL RAIN

3 people have died and at least 20 are injured in connection with partly torrential rain with thunder in East and South Germany. At least 20 are injured.

A 9-year-old girl was struck by lightning near Dresden and died. A 23-year-old man was deadly injured in a car as a tree fell on to his car. And a cyclist was killed by a falling tree near Luneburg.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18750430

7 July 2012 Last updated at 16:47 GMT

Severe flood warnings in South West as heavy rain falls

Severe flood warnings have been issued for parts of south-west England, as river levels rise after heavy rain.

The Environment Agency said lives were in danger in areas near the River Axe in Devon and Burton Bradstock, Dorset.

In Northumberland a man in his 20s died when his car came off a road during torrential rain.

Some 71 flood warnings and 138 flood alerts remain in England and Wales, with 13 flood warnings in Scotland.

The Environment Agency's severe flood warning means there is a danger to life, while a flood warning means immediate action is required.

.....................

The Met Office has amber warnings of rain in force for Dorset, Somerset and parts of Devon.

Parts of East Devon and West Dorset have received between three to almost five inches of rain in the past 24 hours - more than a month's worth of rain in a day.

Environment Agency river gauges have recorded record levels at numerous locations including the River Otter at Ottery St Mary and River Bride at Burton Bradstock.

BBC Weather forecasters say the record rainfall in a day was also in Dorset, at 11 inches in 1955.

In other developments:

Residents in the Leicestershire village of Sheepy Magna were evacuated from homes after flooding

Firefighters were called to protect properties from flooding in Powys and Carmarthenshire

Flooding is affecting rail services in England with problems including a landslip near Honiton and flooding at Totnes in Devon

Saturday's sessions the Taste of Edinburgh festival have been cancelled after its site on the Meadows was hit by flooding

Monday's horse racing meeting at Newton Abbot has been abandoned due to a waterlogged track

Dorset Police are warning people to stay away from the base of cliffs in Lyme Regis as mudslides are making them unstable

People in low lying properties and roads around Stoney Bridge and Castle Hill in Axminster have been urged to stay in a safe place, listen to the emergency services and be ready to evacuate their homes.

The same warning has been issued for High Street, Mill Street, Manor Farm and The Rookery in Burton Bradstock, Dorset.

An earlier severe warning for the River Yealm in South Hams, Devon, from Cornwood to Yealmpton has been downgraded.

The Environment Agency have used pumps to help emergency services clear flood water from properties and warned people on campsites to stay alert.

Meanwhile, Labour has accused the government of failing to help communities hit by flooding in recent weeks.

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said the government was close to an agreement with insurance companies to make cover affordable for all.

"We have been in close contact with the insurers, asking them to do everything they can to get on the ground with their loss adjusters," she said.

BBC weather forecaster Peter Gibbs said a large area of rain had been concentrating over south-west England and predicted as much as 60-70mm (2.4in-2.8in) of rain in some spots on Saturday.

The Met Office said a low pressure system was set to bring rain and thundery showers to the UK until early next week.


At the scene

Andrew Plant, BBC News
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Residents in Ottery St Mary in East Devon say the River Otter is the highest they've ever seen. It's been raining almost constantly since Thursday and on Friday the river burst its banks. Now trees are half-submerged and acres of fields have flooded.

On Saturday morning, several houses were pumped out by the Fire Brigade. But people are saying that the warnings about flooding worked as they were more prepared, and so far they've avoided the worst. But the rain is still falling, the skies are still stormy and the residents are still nervously watching the water.

The bridge has become a meeting point for people in raincoats, and they're asking each other if their houses are safe. We've seen Environment Agency trucks out monitoring the flooding, and their staff seem hopeful the rain will stop soon.

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 7 AND 8 JULY 2012


DEATH TOLL IN RUSSIA AFTER CLOUDBURST / LANDSLIDE & FLOODING RISEN TO 170

RUSSIA's PRESIDENT PUTIN TAKES ACTION AFTER CLOUDBURST

Russia's President Vladimir Putin who - on Saturday - overflew Russia's disaster-stricken area by the Black Sea has ordered an examination to establish whether local authorities warned of / announced a massive / powerful cloudburst in time and whether the Russian authorities did enough to save the large number of people that died during flooding by the Black Sea.

AT LEAST 170 HAVE DIED IN THE FLOODING AFTER THE CLOUDBURST IN THE KRASNODA REGION. Russian news agency Interfax reports this.
The area was hit by what corresponds to two months rain in only a few hours. That resulted in both flooding and landslides. The area had experienced heavy rain all month.

Many of the victims are elderly who were caught by the water masses while asleep.

Sources: Danish text-TV / TV2 News + dr.dk News + German text-tv / ZDFtext / ARDtext

EDIT Sunday evening central European time: 170 DIED IN CONNECTION WITH MASSIVE RAIN IN RUSSIA

The water came by such force that many of the local inhabitants suspect a manmade disaster involving a local water bassin/reservoir by the river of Naberdsjai. Eye witnesses have mentioned a 7-m-high wall of water / a flood with no previous warning. Some mentioned that the authorities should have opened a dam - this was denied by the authorities.

Monday is declared national day of mourning for the victims of the flooding in the Krasnodar region according to news agency interfax.

More than 150 (170 mentioned by ZDFtext) died in the flooding and 2,800 people have been evacuated from the affected areas. 5,200 houses in 3 cities are flooded (submerged).
Source: Danish text-TV + German text-TV / ARDtext


42 PEOPLE DIED IN CONNECTION WITH EXTREME HEAT IN THE USA

According to reports in media, the continuous extreme heat in vast parts of the USA (central and eastern USA) has so far cost at least 42 human lives. 10 people - mainly elderly - have died during the last couple of days in CHICACO according to TV broadcaster CBS on Sunday.

Due to power cuts, there is no possibility of air conditioning.

In Greenfield in INDIANA, a 4-month-old girl died - she was left alone in a car according to BBC.

On Saturday it was 41 degrees in Washington and 46 in St. Louis. Several cities have opened cooling places to the public and the swimming-pools are kept open longer.

In several cities such as Washington, St. Louis and Indianapolis temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius on Saturday. During the night, the temperature was almost 30 degrees in many areas.

More than 20 US states experienced temperatures at 35 and higher on the Celsius scale.

Cooler weather is forecast for the next couple of days.

Source: German text-TV / ZDFtext



4 PEOPLE DIED DUE TO HEAVY RAIN WITH THUNDER IN GERMANY / HIGH WATER ALERT BY RIVER SPREE

4 people have died in Germany this week-end in connection with heavy rain with thunder. 2 were struck by lightning and died. A bicyclist and a man in a car were killed by falling trees. Dozens were injured. Cellars were under water and streets flooded.

Due to the heavy rain, it was recommended to issue the second-highest highwater alarm level for a stretch of river Spree.

In Bayern / Bavaria a big party tent collapsed injuring 4 people with things that were flying around.

Source: German text-TV / ZDFtext



HUNGER DISASTER / FAMINE THREATENING WESTERN AFRICA

Due to massive drought and poor crops the countries in the SAHEL region in West Africa are close to facing a humanitarian disaster.

MORE THAN 1 MILLION CHILDREN are at the risk of STARVATION.

Most serious is the situation in MAURETANIA where 700,000 PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING FROM SHORTAGE OF FOOD and where there is also SHORTAGE OF WATER in many areas.

Charlotte Wannolm from Red Cross, Sweden is present in the capital of NOUAKCHOTT right now. She reports that there are SEVERELY MALNOURISHED CHILDREN and dead bodies of animals on the roadsides. "The situation is very, very serious and grave", she says.

Source: Swedish text-TV / SVT Text

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 9 JULY, 2012


SWEDISH PROVINCE SMAALAND DROWNING

This morning - Monday 9.7.12 - South Sweden is hit by extreme rainfall, and several areas are submerged in the province of Smaaland which got 113 mm of rain locally during the night between Sunday and Monday.

Several rivers have a water level of 2 m above normal (level) which has left vast areas in South Sweden completely submerged / flooded - so the Swedish TV broadcaster SVT.

Towns like Mariannelund and the lowlying region the Silver dal (dal = valley) are under water.

Already on Sunday evening, Sweden's meteorological institute SHMI issued an alert/alarm regarding extremely high water level in the rivers.

Culmination of the flooding expected Tuesday or Wednesday.

Source: Danish text-Tv on DR on 9.7.12 / TV2 News


DEATH TOLL EXCEEDS 170 IN RUSSIAN CLOUDBURST

The number of deaths by a flood disaster in the southern Russia has risen to >170 according to the authorities.

The local government has recommended national mourning on Monday and faces a lot of criticism for bad preparedness in connection with the disaster triggered by a massive cloudburst this week-end.

The worst-hit area is the city of KRIMSK situated about 200 km north-west of the holiday resort SOTSJI by the Black Sea.

In the disaster area, thousands of people are waiting for help. Many are in shortage of food and need dry clothes after flooding which is said to have destroyed more than 5,000 houses. More rainfall is underway.

Source: Danish text-TV / DR


DAY OF NATIONAL MOURNING IN RUSSIA FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE FLOOD DISASTER IN SOUTHERN RUSSIA

Flags were at half mast at Kremlin and at government buildings. No entertainment / commercials on Russian TV today.

Death toll 170 / thousands made homeless.

Source: German ZDFtext


DEATH TOLL IN THE USA IN CONNECTION WITH THE HEATWAVE RISEN TO 46

Sizzling heat has hit vast parts of the USA this past week-end and cost at least 46 human lives.

The heat in the Middle West and on the East Coast reached more than 40 degrees Celsius in many areas. Thunder and heavy rain resulted in power cuts in several areas.

A 4-year-old girl died in INDIANAPOLIS. Additional deaths were reported in the US states of ILLINOIS, MARYLAND, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, TENNESSEE and WISCONSIN.

The US weather service forecasts cooler weather in the coming days.

Source: German text-TV / ARDtext

BBC World News in the evening of Monday, 9.7.12: HEATWAVE EASES AFTER RAIN IN THE USA



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-18765778

9 July 2012 Last updated at 09:15 GMT

Chile cold snap kills two as homeless deaths rise to 16

Freezing temperatures in central and southern Chile have led to the deaths of 16 homeless people so far this year, officials say.

The latest deaths were at the weekend when two victims were found in the capital, Santiago.

Temperatures in some parts of the city dropped to -8C, but forecasters said the cold snap was set to ease.

Chile has some 12,000 homeless people, about half of them in the capital, Santiago.

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said that if people were aware of someone living on the streets to "please make the effort to get them to the shelters we have provided".

He said that the provision of accommodation had helped reduce the number of fatalities during the Southern Hemisphere winter.

Cold weather led to more than 150 deaths in 2010, while last year there were some 50.

[nancyk58]

NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 12 JULY, 2012


This morning - Thursday, 12 July, 2012 - a Danish information manager / officer representing UNICEF informed the viewers of Danish TV2 News about the current situation in the SAHEL REGION in WEST AFRICA (covering i.a. Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauretania, Nigeria and Cameroun).

UNICEF is increasing its efforts in the Sahel region in West Africa in an attempt to fight the many cases of cholera in the region.

15 MILLION PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING FROM SHORTAGE OF FOOD AND WATER DUE TO THE FOOD CRISIS.

IT IS RAINING IN THE AREA WHICH IS GOOD IN SOME WAYS, BUT IT ALSO INCREASES THE NUMBER OF CHOLERA CASES IN THE AREA.

AT LEAST 60 HAVE DIED OF CHOLERA SO FAR THIS YEAR. 2,800 ARE INFECTED.

Source: Danish TV2 News live on 12.7.12

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 12 JULY, 2012


6 DEATHS IN CONNECTION WITH AVALANCHE AT MONT BLANC

At least 6 people have been reported dead in an avalanche near Chamonix in the French Alps this morning (12.7.12).

4 foreigners are said to be among the victims.

8 people have been slightly injured, and other 2-3 persons are missing.

The avalanche struck at Mont Maudit - a more than 4,400 m high mountain and the 3-highest top of the Mont-Blanc Massif - and carried climbers that were linked by means of a rope.

Around 5.25 o'clock this morning, an injured sounded the alarm by means of an emergency call.

A rescue operation is ongoing in the area.

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


THURSDAY AFTERNOON: AVALANCHE IN THE FRENCH ALPS: DEATH TOLL RISEN TO 9 INCLUDING 3 GERMANS.

15 other spersons have been injured at the Mont-Blanch Massif according to the police in Chamonix. 4 remain missing.

2 Danes involved - one was present when the avalanche struck, but not injured, the other one sligthly injured. 2 still missing.

A possible reason for this disaster might be a 40-cm-thick ice plate that may have broken loose thus triggering the avalanche.

Sources: Danish text-TV / DR1 + German text-TV / ARDtext


3 DEATHS IN CONNECTION WITH BAD WEATHER IN SOUTH-WEST JAPAN - 48,000 PEOPLE IN KUMAMOTO URGED TO LEAVE THEIR HOUSES

In south-west Japan, heavy rain has cost at least 3 human lives.

At least 18 people are missing in the worst-hit island of KYUSHU.

The authorities in the city of KUMAMOTO urged 48,000 citizens to leave their houses / homes.

Also OITA is hard hit.

Rescue teams received many emergency calls reporting LANDSLIDES, SUBMERGED HOMES and SUBMERGED / FLOODED STREETS.

According to the Japanese weather service, the area has never ever had such heavy rain before.

Source: German ZDFtext


Wildfire in CROATIA Source: Danish TV2 News on 11.7.12

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NEWS IN RELATION TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON 12 JULY, 2012, PART II (also have a look at Part I above)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-18809144

12 July 2012 Last updated at 18:01 GMT

3 British climbers killed by avalanche in French Alps

Three British climbers were among nine people killed in an avalanche near the French Alpine ski resort of Chamonix, French authorities have confirmed.

A spokeswoman for the Prefecture of Haute-Savoie said it was not known where in the UK the Britons were from.

The Foreign Office said it was unable to confirm Britons were among the dead.

Two other Britons were reported missing following the avalanche on the slopes of Mont Maudit early on Thursday but were later accounted for.

The Foreign Office has set up an emergency number for people worried about friends and relatives, which is 0207 008 1500.

Chamonix police said there was no-one still missing after the avalanche. The two British climbers who were believed to have been on the mountain at the time of the avalanche had already returned to Chamonix.

The alarm was sounded at 05:25 local time (04:25 BST) by an injured climber on the route, which is popular with tourists trekking towards nearby Mont Blanc.

Those killed were reported to be from Spain, Germany, Switzerland and the UK.

A Foreign Office spokesman said it was aware of reports of three dead Britons and was "urgently seeking" information from the rescue authorities. The British ambassador and other embassy staff are travelling to the area from Paris to provide consular assistance.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said he was "very saddened" by the incident and sent his deepest condolences to the friends and families of those affected.

"We will offer whatever support and assistance we can. I would also like to thank the French rescue services for their efforts in these difficult circumstances," he said.

Rescue teams used helicopters and heat-seeking devices to try to locate the missing and covered the entire avalanche zone before the search was called off until Friday.

The spokeswoman for the Prefecture said 28 people had set off from a climbing hut to attempt the route, some were supervised by professional mountaineering guides but others were climbing independently.

'Catastrophic'

They are believed to have reached 4,000m (13,120 ft) when the avalanche struck.

Nine people were airlifted to hospital in Sallanches with minor injuries. A chapel has been established in the hospital in Chamonix to help families involved in the tragedy.

Visiting the area, French Interior Minister Manuel Valls described the avalanche as "catastrophic" and said his thoughts were with the victims.

At a press conference he paid tribute to the rescuers and said an investigation was under way.

Chamonix mayor Hean-Louis Verdier told Reuters news agency the avalanche was completely unexpected.
"We had no more reason than usual to be alarmed," he said.

"It's a steep mountain face. There are big plates of snow where an avalanche can easily occur. But this morning we had no reason to expect an avalanche of this size and such a tragedy."

Avalanche blackspot

Christian Trommsdorff, of the French Guides Association, said the weather had been windy, which always increased the chance of "icefall".

"We don't know exactly how it was triggered. It is at fairly high altitude there, so it is a snow avalanche. It was triggered by either the people who are climbing themselves or by some ice fall above, we don't know yet."

British mountaineer Kenton Cool told the BBC News Channel it was "absolutely shocking news".

He said unfortunately the area was known as something of an avalanche "blackspot".

"Every few years there is a big avalanche... it would be a huge wave of snow. The climbers would have had absolutely no chance," he said.

The chances of finding anyone alive under the snow were not good, but he said: "The longest ever British survivor was 18 hours, so it's possible. You never give up hope.

A message on the British Mountaineering Council website said: "We hope the missing climbers are located soon, send condolences to the family and friends of those killed and wish a speedy recovery to those injured."

The French authorities described the avalanche as "the most deadly" in recent years.

Mont Maudit - meaning the cursed mountain - is the third-highest peak in the Mont Blanc massif range, rising to 4,465m.

Some 20,000 people climb Mont Blanc each year, with around 500 people on it each day during the summer, the BBC's Hugh Schofield said.

The last major avalanche in the Alps was in 2008, when eight Swiss, German and Austrian climbers perished.


MONT MAUDIT

Third-highest peak in the Mont Blanc massif range at 4,465m

Translates from French as cursed mountain

Popular route for tourists heading to Mont Blanc

First ascent of Mont Maudit completed in 1878

Southern side is steeper than the gentle northern snow slopes


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18801914

12 July 2012 Last updated at 12:40 GMT

Kenya's Dadaab camp: Aid agencies make appeal

Aid agencies working in the world's largest refugee camp in Kenya say they are running out of funds, putting tens of thousands of lives at risk.

Eight organisations, including Oxfam and Save the Children, say they are facing a shortfall of $25m (£16m), but that the need is greater than ever.

The population in Dadaab, which lies near the Somali border, has increased by a third over the past year.

It is now home to almost half a million people, mostly from Somalia.

Last year, tens of thousands of people flooded into the camp to flee poverty and violence in Somalia, made worse by the region's most severe drought in 60 years, with famine declared in some areas.

The UK appeal raised £79m ($122m) - more than for any other food crisis.

BBC world affairs correspondent Mike Wooldridge says that, according to the aid agencies, many refugees are still in tents that are quickly destroyed in the harsh climate.

The aid agencies say that 30,000 new shelters are needed, but that funding is available for only 4,000.

Also at risk is the provision of water supplies and sanitation for some 50,000 refugees, leaving them at risk from cholera, they say.

The agencies say long-term solutions for those living in the overcrowded camp are needed.

According to Stephen Vaughan, head of CARE Kenya, people who had fled terrible suffering are not getting the care they needed.

"As well as the human cost, there is also a cost to security in the region," he said.

"If children are not going to school and if people do not have proper shelter and other services, this has the potential to fuel further militarisation, violence and instability."

Nigel Tricks, head of Oxfam in Kenya, said: "Refugee camps are only temporary solutions and the situation is increasingly untenable. Funds are needed now to save lives, but we can't keep pumping money in year after year while the camp keeps getting bigger.

"A change in approach is urgently needed. However, right now, the world has an obligation not to turn its back on Dadaab and the needs of the people there."

Problems with security in the camp have also hampered the aid operation.

Last October, gunmen kidnapped two Spaniards working for Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) at the Dadaab camp. They are still being held hostage in Somalia.

Dadaab was founded more than 20 years ago - after Somalia first descended into chaos. It has not had a functioning central government since 1991 and has been racked by fighting between various militias.

Dadaab: World's largest refugee camp
Founded in 1991 when neighbouring Somalia descended into chaos

Now hosts more than 463,000 refugees, mostly from Somalia

Last year more than 110,000 refugees arrived between June and August

Composed of five camps: Dagahaley, Hagadera, Kambioos, IFO 2 West and East

More than 70% of the camp's children - 164,000 - do not go to school


20 DEAD IN JAPAN IN CONNECTION WITH FLOODING AFTER HEAVY RAIN (100 MM IN ONLY 1 HOUR)

Source: Danish TV2 News live


50,000 FLEEING CLOUDBURST IN SOUTH JAPAN

South Japan got a record-high amount of rain. 20 died and 18 are missing after flooding and fatal landslides.

In particular the island of KYUSHU - Japan's third-largest island - is hard hit by the massive & powerful rainfalls.

The authorities had issued evacuation orders for about 48,000 inhabitants in the city of KUMAMOTO according to the news agaency Kyodo.

About 10,000 homes are without power / electricity.

Source: Danish TV2 News