| LEXICON |
|
|
Saturday, November 23, 2002 Kenya (Earthweek ) —'Twelve people in central Kenya's Kiambu district were killed as their homes were submerged after a nearby dam crumbled before daybreak. More
than 3000 others were driven from their homes along the Riara River, which overflowed after weeks of heavy rains.'
Tuesday, November 19, 2002 MADRID, Spain (AP Europe) — 'A damaged tanker carrying more than 20 million gallons of fuel oil broke in two off the northwest coast of Spain and sank Tuesday, threatening an environmental disaster. If the Bahamas-flagged Prestige spills its entire cargo as it sinks, the spill would be nearly twice the size of the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska. Some 10.92 million gallons of crude oil were lost from the Valdez. The tanker ruptured last Wednesday during a storm. Spanish beaches were mired in oil and scores of animals were covered in sludge. Fishing was prohibited, putting hundreds out of work. The spill threatened some of the region's richest fishing grounds. But worries about the potential for a massive environmental disaster grew. Fuel oil is more environmentally damaging than crude oil, said Maria Jose Caballero, who leads the coastal protection project for Greenpeace in Spain.' This tanker breakup was caused by a storm listed below, Wednesday, November 13. Monday, November 18, 2002 Scotland (The Guardian ) — 'A huge clean-up operation began in the north east of Scotland yesterday after torrential rain over the weekend brought severe flooding to the area. Around 200 people were forced to leave their homes and spend two nights in makeshift rescue centres as flood waters rose. At the height of the flooding, 10 people in Elgin, Moray, had to be airlifted to safety by the RAF. The heavy rain closed numerous roads across the north east and brought chaos to the railway system. Police warned locals not to travel. Inspector Stewart Milne, of Grampian police, said the floods were the worst "in living memory", with flood waters reaching up to four feet in some towns on Saturday afternoon.' Sunday, November 17, 2002 VIENNA, Austria (AP) — 'Winds derailed and overturned a local train near the Alpine resort of Zell am See in Salzburg province, 175 miles southwest of Vienna. A 72-year-old female passenger was killed and several other people were injured, the Austria Press Agency reported. Winds also ripped off the roofs of about 100 houses in the surrounding district of Pinzgau, uprooted trees that blocked several roads and sparked several forest fires. Authorities declared Pinzgau a disaster zone and asked residents to remain inside and avoid driving their cars. Across the border in Germany's Bavarian Alps, winds of up to 125 mph felled trees and damaged houses, injuring two people, officials said. The rail line between Munich and Innsbruck, Austria, was blocked by fallen trees in Germany.' Saturday, November 16, 2002 Austria (Wild Weather) — 'Winds over 100 mph lashed areas of southern Austria knocking down power lines and ripping the roofs off of hundreds of homes. Five towns south of Vienna were declared disaster areas. Next door, flooding was reported in Switzerland after heavy rain pelted the region. Rainfall totals exceeded 9 inches. Wednesday, November 13, 2002 MADRID, Spain (Reuters) — 'Storms lashed Spain and neighboring Portugal Wednesday as a tanker with 77,000 tons of fuel oil was sinking in high seas off the Spanish coast and fierce winds toppled construction cranes on the mainland killing three women...Later in La Coruna in the northwest corner of Spain, two women were killed in a similar incident, a spokesman for the municipal government said. He gave no further details...Portugal's mountainous north and center sections were hardest hit by the storms, with some rail and road routes closed by flooding and downed trees. Electricity was cut in some areas. Portugal was pounded by winds gusting to 80 miles per hour and heavy rain which snarled rail and road traffic, flooded streets and downed trees, authorities said. Hundreds of trees were torn down, damaging cars and homes. At least five families were left homeless from storm damage, but no serious injuries were reported.' Monday, November 11, 2002 — In recent years it is said that a second tornado season has developed in the US. This second season has been attributed to El Nino. Assuming this to be true, it may also be said that planetary warming may be contributing to increased El Nino activity and thus a direct contributor to the following: U.S. National - AP 'ALABAMA: At least 10 dead, 50 injured. Damage heaviest in Walker County in the northern part of the state, where nine died. GEORGIA: Heavy damage in Pickens County north of Atlanta; at least seven injured. ILLINOIS: Two possible tornadoes touch down in southern Illinois; no damage reported. INDIANA: Three people injured when wind partially collapse a supermarket in Blackford County in east-central Indiana. KENTUCKY: Scattered damage across state; no injuries reported. LOUISIANA: Heavy rain in southeastern Louisiana. MISSISSIPPI: One man killed in Lowndes County in east-central Mississippi; about 55 injured. NORTH CAROLINA: Thousands without power in mountain counties; storms pack wind of up to 50 mph. OHIO: At least five dead, 21 injured. Damage heaviest in Van Wert County in northwestern Ohio. PENNSYLVANIA: One man killed, up to 19 people injured, in Mercer County in western Pennsylvania. SOUTH CAROLINA: Power outages and reported tornado touchdown in Greenwood County. TENNESSEE: At least 16 dead, 55 injured. Damage heaviest in rural eastern Tennessee town of Mossy Grove, where seven died and 40 not yet unaccounted for. WEST VIRGINIA: Six trailer homes destroyed in Jackson County but no one seriously hurt.' Monday, November 11, 2002 Argentina — 'Rainfall records have been swept out with the flood water in recent days in eastern Argentina. Thunderstorms dumped over 3.5" of rain in the port city of Bahia Blanca on Sunday nearly double the monthly average for the month of November.' Sunday, November 10, 2002 Uganda, Earthweek — 'Continuing El Nino-related downpours across parts of Uganda have swept away the topsoil and banana plantations, according to a report in the New Vision newspaper. This means that famine is imminent', because bananas are the local staple. Sunday, November 10, 2002 Australia, Earthweek — 'A continuing drought in Australia has set a record as the most severe seven month dry period since record keeping began in 1900...The ongoing parched conditions have severely affected agriculture, livestock production, public water supplies and wildlife across a broad stretch of the country. Friday, November 01, 2002 NEW DELHI (Reuters) By Sugita Katyal — 'Crippling droughts, torrential floods and other environmental disasters will cost the world more than $70 billion in 2002, the United Nations Environment Programe said Wednesday. Devastating floods -- just some of 526 "significant" natural disasters in the first nine months of the year -- ripped through parts of Europe, China, India, Nepal and Bangladesh this year, killing thousands of people and leaving millions more homeless. "Natural catastrophes, a vast majority of which have been weather-related, have cost countries and communities an estimated $56 billion during the period January to September 2002," said the statement, released at a major U.N. climate change convention. Of the estimated 526 natural disasters in the first nine months, 195 were in Asia -- home to almost half the world's people -- 149 in the Americas, 99 in Europe, 45 in Australasia and 38 in Africa, the U.N. said. The report said more than 9,400 people died in these natural disasters -- more than 8,000 in Asia. In contrast, costs were higher in Europe -- almost $33 billion -- followed by Asia at $14.8 billion and North America at $7.7 billion. We have, once more, strong indications that global warming is increasing and will thus have serious affects on societies and economies alike," Thomas Loster, one of the team that prepared the report, Annual Review:Natural Catastrophes 2002, said.'
|