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Saturday, August 31, 2002 Nepal 'Heavy monsoon rains are pounding Nepal, triggering flash floods and landslides. The latest occurred on Wednesday, when a huge landslide struck the remote mountain village of Thapra in Ramechap district in eastern Nepal. More than
40 houses were swept away and 65 people who were asleep at the time, are
confirmed dead, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.'
Saturday, August 31, 2002 Bangladesh 'Most of Bangladesh's 250 rivers originate in the Himalayas and run through India before draining into the Bay of Bengal. Incessant rains and overflowing rivers have engulfed vast areas killing 157 people since June. Standing crops are damaged, homes, road and bridges are destroyed, and nearly six million people have been displaced.' Thursday, August 29, 2002 BRUSSLES BELGIUM 'The European Commission proposed a special disaster commision Wednesday, that could be used to quickly help pay for damages from this summer's severe flooding in central Europe. According to the EU, the widespread flooding caused 14.7 billion dollars in damages in Germay; nearly 2 billion in Austria; nearly 3 billion in the Czech Republic and more than 34 million in Slovakia.' Wednesday, August 28, 2002 BUCHAREST, Romania (Yahoo) 'Flooding and storms after a prolonged drought caused about 100 million euros (dlrs 98 million) in damage this year, Romania's prime minister said Wednesday. Floods and storms have killed 11 people in Romania in the past month.' Wednesday, August 28, 2002 ALGIERS, Algeria (Yahoo) 'Torrential storms in eastern Algeria have killed at least 28 people in several days, including 15 children who were trapped in a flooding river valley where they were picking crops, national media reported Wednesday. Throughout the region, hundreds of homes have been flooded or battered by hail in the storms that began more than a week ago, and vast patches of farmland have been destroyed. The death toll was likely to rise, as many people were still missing. Nearby Guelma was hit by hailstones the size of tennis balls, which badly damaged homes.' Wednesday, August 28, 2002 JOHANNESBURG, South Africa By RAVI NESSMAN, Associated Press Writer 'The tiny island nation of Tuvalu sees the issue of global warming as a matter of life and death. Few at the U.N. development summit seem to care. Tuvalu fears it will be crushed by storms, rising ocean levels and disruptions to marine life caused by global climate change. But the United States does not want the summit to commit to specific pollution controls, and the world's developing nations many of them major oil producers have little interest in the concerns of a country of 12,000 people.' Tuesday, August 27, 2002 KABUL, Afghanistan (Yahoo) 'At least nine people were killed and 26 were missing after heavy rains in southeastern Afghanistan triggered a mudslide in this drought-affected nation, an official said Tuesday. Heavy rains have fallen for the last two days in eastern Afghanistan, a region suffering from drought. The rains have flooded normally dry creek beds and sent rivers over their banks in some areas, witnesses said.' Tuesday, August 27, 2002 KAYCEE, Wyo. (AP) 'An early morning cloudburst flooded the town (of Kaycee) with water 3 feet deep Tuesday and destroyed several homes. Up to 7 inches of rain fell during the night, town officials said. "Main Street is pretty much under water," Town Clerk Diane Cornthwaite said. "We've got quite a few homes that have been damaged or floated away." No injuries were reported.' Tuesday, August 27, 2002 BERLIN, Gemanay (Yahoo) 'A woman and her baby were injured Tuesday as heavy rain and hail hit southwestern Germany, flooding cellars and temporarily shutting down the Stuttgart airport. Storms in recent days have not caused floods like those that hit eastern Germany over the past two weeks.' Tuesday, August 27, 2002 WILSON, North Carolina (Yahoo) 'Up to 8 inches (20.3 centimeters) of rain overwhelmed drought-parched ground across eastern North Carolina, causing widespread flash flooding that left one man dead and closed a major highway. Heavy rain, strong winds and hail also struck southwestern Nebraska Monday, damaging crops and flooding roads. Although much of North Carolina is suffering from a four-year drought, most of the rain didn't fall on the driest areas in the state's central region and experts predicted the relief will be short-lived.' Monday, August 26, 2002 Paris, France (Yahoo) 'Storms flooded roads and forced rescue workers to evacuate hundreds of vacationers from campsites in parts of southern France as the region was pummeled by heavy rains Monday.' Monday, August 26, 2002 SYDNEY, Australia (Yahoo) 'Australia's farmers stand to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in exports unless they get much needed rain to save their withering wheat crops, government officials said Monday. Much of Australia's east coast is in the grip of a drought caused by the El Nino phenomenon, which brings drier than usual conditions to the southern hemisphere nation, and weather forecasters say there is no rain in sight.' Saturday, August 25, 2002 Alberta, Canada 'Alberta drought is worst in memory. Alberta farmers and ranchers say the drought is the worst they've seen, and Statistics Canada released data last week that confirmed their fears.' Saturday, August 24, 2002 BRUSSELS, Belgium (Yahoo) 'Overnight storms caused disruption in parts of Belgium Saturday, flooding streets and basements and forcing the closure of busy road tunnels in the capital Brussels. Heavy rain fell over much of the country Friday night and early Saturday morning, but authorities said nobody was hurt and damage to property was not widespread. Belgium has not been affected by the devastating flooding which has hit central Europe in recent weeks.' Saturday, August 24, 2002 ALGIERS, Algeria (Yahoo) 'Torrential rains provoked heavy flooding in eastern Algeria this week, killing at least 10 people, officials and newspapers said Friday. Flood waters in the Tebessa region, 600 kilometers (370 miles) east of the capital, Algiers, left four people dead and a trail of damage estimated at 1.5 million euros (dlrs 1.45 million), local officials said. Numerous buildings in the area were also partially submerged. The downpour, which began last Friday, has also caused substantial damage to roads and crops.' Friday, August 23, 2002 Midwest USA (Yahoo) 'Wind gusts of 85 mph were reported in Des Moines, Iowa, as storms rolled through just after midnight, said Marc Russell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Kevin Waetke, a spokesman for Mid American Energy, said 50,000 Iowa customers were without power immediately after the storm. Waetke said toppled trees and felled tree limbs brought down utility lines, knocking out power. Up to 4 inches of rain was reported. In Illinois, where the storm had knocked out power to thousands and disrupted the Thursday morning commute, there were some reports of flooding of roads and basements.' Friday, August 23, 2002 YUEYANG, China (AP) AUDRA ANG 'More than 250,000 people have been evacuated from areas around a rain-swollen lake in central China, a government official said, as farmers patrolled atop dikes to check for leaks. More than 1 million people have been mobilized to shore up dikes around Dongting Lake in densely populated Hunan province, the official Xinhua News Agency said. Rising waters already have swamped towns on the lakefront.' Friday, August 23, 2002 Illinois, USA 'Drenching rain storms soaked parts of northern Illinois early Thursday, snarling traffic and causing power outages. Rain flooded roads from Galena to Chicago and parts of two Chicago-area expressways - Interstates 290 and 94 - were closed for a time because of flooding. Trains on part of Chicago's subway system also had to be rerouted because of the storms. The rain was also delaying flights at O'Hare International Airport. The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for nine northern Illinois counties. The storms also caused power outages in several communities.' Friday, August 23, 2002 Illinois, USA Wild Weather 'Monday afternoon across Illinois rain flooded roadways and knocked out power to 75,000 homes. Weather stations reported nearly 10" of rain in and around the city of Chicago. Flights in and out of Chicago's O'Hare airport were delayed for hours by the unsettled weather.' Thursday, August 22, 2002 China AP 'As green floodwaters rose into homes beside a huge, rain-swollen lake in central China, 800,000 workers were racing Thursday to shore up dikes that protect six Chinese cities and dozens of villages. Authorities said they had evacuated about 1,000 families around Dongting Lake in Hunan province and would be moving more.' Thursday, August 22, 2002 VIENNA, Austria 'Rain-slicked tracks led to a train accident in Vienna that injured 21 people Wednesday. Elsewhere, overnight storms caused limited local flooding and some mudslides in Austria's Tyrol, Salzburg and Carinthia provinces, forcing some people out of their homes.' Thursday, August 22, 2002 TRENTON, N.J. 'State officials on Tuesday banned lawn watering and car washing because of the continuing drought. Eight of the past 12 months have been the driest since the state began keeping records in 1895, said Bradley Campbell, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection. August is also shaping up to be the driest on record.' Wednesday, August 21, 2002 MAGDEBURG, Germany 'Thousands of people in northeastern Germany were ordered from their homes Wednesday ahead of new flood waters coursing down the Elbe River. About 25,000 people in the states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Brandenburg, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein were told to leave their homes as the high water neared.' Wednesday, August 21, 2002 BERLIN, Germany 'Intensive rain, hail and flooding could cause widespread crop failures in seven German states, Agriculture Minister Renate Kuenast said Wednesday. Kuenast said with several states still experiencing mass flooding, it is too early to estimate how much damage there will be to crops, but that it would be an "enormous extent" exceeding early estimates of 20 to 30 percent less profit for in farmers for the affected areas.' Tuesday, August 20, 2002 Philadelphia, USA (AP) 'Although this has been one of hottest summers in recent years, the number of heat-related deaths in the city is lower than it was almost a decade ago, reflecting the success of changes in the city's emergency plan. So far, 27 Philadelphia residents have been listed as having died of the heat. Saturday marked the 40th day the temperature has topped 90 degrees, something that has happened only twice in the last 10 years. In 1993, with about the same number of 90-plus days, a record 118 Philadelphians were reported to have died of heat-related causes. In 1995, there were 49 days of 90-plus temperatures, and there were 61 heat-related deaths.' Tuesday, August 20, 2002 Hunan, China (AP) 'Hunan has been one of the worst hit provinces in this year's flooding, which has killed close to 1,000 people and caused at least $3.6 billion in damage. This month alone, 108 people have died in Hunan. Rains that started Aug. 5 have caused $2.2 billion in damage, state media has reported. Flooding in Jiangxi and Hunan in June killed 471 people and caused $2.16 billion in economic losses, according to government figures. Some 54 million people were affected and 6.42 million acres were damaged, the figures said.' Tuesday, August 20, 2002 Illinois, U.S. 'An active cold front triggered strong thunderstorms Monday afternoon across Illinois. The rain flooded roadways and knocked out power to 75,000 homes. Weather stations reported nearly 10" of rain in and around the city of Chicago.' Monday, August 19, 2002 Eastern U.S. ' Nineteen major cities set new high temperature records on Sunday including 98° F in Washington, D.C. and 94° in New York City. Boston has now experienced daily temperatures of 90° F or more on eight consecutive days. Some relief is forecast this week as a cold front is set to finally break the pattern by Tuesday.' Monday, August 19, 2002 HANOI, Vietnam 'Floods caused by two days of heavy rains killed 26 people and inundated tens of thousands of homes in three provinces in northern Vietnam and in Hanoi, officials said Monday. Hundreds of people are killed by floods and storms in Vietnam each year.' Monday, August 19, 2002 DESSAU, Germany (AP) 'Flooding that has forced some 80,000 east Germans from their homes spread further through the region Monday, threatening to add to the misery as the country faced its biggest relief effort since World War II. To help foot the recovery bill, the German government said Monday it was delaying tax cuts planned for next year. Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, speaking after an emergency Cabinet meeting in Berlin, said the move would free up $6.8 billion.' Saturday, August 17, 2002 EAST LONDON, South Africa (Yahoo) 'A man, two women and a young girl had drowned in floods caused by two days of torrential rains in eastern South Africa, while six other people were missing, a relief official said Saturday. The floodwaters had also driven an estimated 3,000 people from their homes built in low-lying areas, said Captain John Fobian, head of the disaster management unit in the Eastern Cape province.' Saturday, August 17, 2002 ISTANBUL, Turkey (Yahoo) 'Four teen-agers were killed Saturday after heavy rains brought down an electrical line in Istanbul, the Anatolia news agency reported. The boys had just finished soccer practice when they stepped into a puddle exposed to the live wire, Anatolia said. More than 400 houses and businesses were flooded amid the rains, which were expected to continue intermittently till Tuesday, Anatolia reported.' Friday, August 16, 2002 BEIJING (AP) 'A massive mudslide that swept through several villages in southwest China's Yunnan province has killed 28 people and left 36 missing, a government official said Friday. In the central province of Hunan, flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rains have killed 108 people over the past 10 days, the agency said. Rains that started Aug. 5 have wrecked railways and highways in Hunan, a densely populated farming area, causing an estimated $2.2 billion in damage. Hunan lies along the Yangtze River, which routinely overflows during the rainy season. More than 900 people have been reported killed in heavy rains this summer.' Friday, August 16, 2002 MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - 'At least 14 people were killed and 17 others were missing after one dam broke and another overflowed on Thursday, sending flood waters rushing through towns in two central Mexican states. A government statement said late on Thursday that more than 7,000 people were affected after days of heavy rains caused a damn to burst in the town of La Ventilla in San Luis Potosi state and water to pour over a dam wall in El Capulin in Zacatecas state.' Friday, August 16, 2002 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - 'Sweltering heat and scant rainfall are forecast for large swaths of the United States through the summer and into fall, potentially worsening a severe drought already affecting half of the nation, U.S. government weather experts said on Thursday. Half of the nation is now experiencing a drought ranging from moderate to extreme. Hardest hit have been the Plains states, the Midwest and the Rocky Mountains.' Friday, August 16, 2002 TEXAS (Tom Moore, Sr.) - 'Deep tropical moisture has interacted with a slow-moving disturbance aloft to produce copious amounts of rain over parts of southeast Texas and southwestern Louisiana. Nearly a foot of rain has been recorded in southeast Texas around Galveston while nearly seven inches has inundated the Houston area. Flood watches and warnings are in effect for the region and more rain is expected overnight.' Thursday, August 15, 2002 Iran (Wild Weather) - 'Reports from Sudan indicate 25 people have died in recent weeks as a result of the extreme heat currently gripping the region. Over 130 people remain hospitalized with heat related illnesses. Temperatures have reached 115° F (46° C) during the heat wave.' Thursday, August 15, 2002 Iran (Wild Weather) - 'The official Islamic Republic News Agency reported that 35 people died in recent days as a result of flash floods in northeast Iran. All of the victims drowned. More than 20 villages remain without power.' Thursday, August 15, 2002 DRESDEN, Germany (Reuters) - 'Germany's cultural jewel Dresden suffered its worst flooding in more than a century on Thursday and receding waters in Prague began to reveal the damage wrought on the historic Czech capital. As a huge wave of water flowed along central Europe's rivers, other towns and cities including the Slovak capital Bratislava remained on alert. Floods have killed more than 80 people from the Black Sea to the Baltic and destroyed billions of euros worth of buildings, infrastructure and crops.' Wednesday, August 14, 2002 China (AP) Yahoo 'From a balmy winter to particularly severe spring dust storms to copious downpours in normally arid provinces, the unusual weather patterns afflicting China in the past six months, government experts say, reflect global warming. Perennial spring sandstorms in northern regions, worsened by severe drought and deforestation, were thicker and more frequent. Winter was unseasonably mild the second warmest in 50 years while early spring temperatures were lower than normal. Summer monsoons dumped immense amounts of rain on provinces whose soil was unaccustomed to such moisture, unleashing deadly floods in areas far from the banks of the mighty Yangtze River, the usual site of overflow and destruction. "Global climate change ... has caused these extreme events," said Ding Yuhui, special adviser on climate change for the China Meteorological Administration. "It has caused a lot of extreme conditions and amplified the anomalies."' Tuesday, August 13, 2002 Prague (AP) Yahoo 'PRAGUE, Czech Republic - Tens of thousands of Czechs fled Prague for higher ground Tuesday as torrential rains turned the Vltava River into a menacing cascade and unleashed flooding elsewhere in Europe that has killed at least 88 people. Churning toward Prague's Old Town, the heart of the capital and a popular tourist stop, the brown and swollen Vltava inflicted the worst flooding in more than a century on the Czech Republic. Officials said at least nine people died after more than a week of heavy rainfall.' Wednesday, August 07, 2002 IRELAND 'Forecasters with the Met Office announced yesterday that Ireland has suffered through it's wettest seven-month period since 1900. Rainfall has been almost one-and-a- half times above the long term average. More clouds and rain are forecast to move through the country on Thursday.' Tuesday, August 06, 2002 BEIJING (AP) 'A storm with high winds swept across coastal southeastern China, killing 10 people and leaving thousands homeless when floodwaters destroyed two dams and unleashed a torrent on residents below, authorities and state media said Tuesday. More than 4.7 inches of rain fell during Monday, Xinhua said. Summer storms and flooding are common in China. This season, bad weather has killed more than 800 people and battered agriculture, transportation, power grids and other infrastructure, causing what state media say is about $3.5 billion in damage.' Monday, August 05, 2002 CAIRO, Yahoo 'Egyptian heat wave kills nine people, including a female British tourist have died in southern Egypt from sun stroke as temperatures topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) during the past week, police and hospital officials said on Monday. Heat-related deaths have been reported throughout the Middle East in recent weeks as a heat wave has gripped the region.' Monday, August 05, 2002 ROME, USA TODAY 'Vintners were assessing their losses Monday after hailstones the size of tennis balls crushed grapes in parts of northern Italy. Other crops were also ruined, including highly prized olives from the Lake Garda region, corn and peaches. The hailstones on Saturday and Sunday weighed up to 1.5 pounds apiece. The Italian Agriculture Confederation estimated damages to be near $200 million.' Sunday, August 04, 2002 YAHOO 'Winds gusting to 70 mph or more toppled trees and power lines in the western Upper Peninsula on Thursday, while Lower Michigan came off the eighth-hottest July on record with another day of 90-degree temperatures. High winds returned Thursday night to batter the central Lower Peninsula, where funnel clouds were reported along a 120-mile swath extending from Howard City to Onaway. No injuries were immediately reported.' Sunday, August 04, 2002, LONDON (AP) 'About 140,000 people in the Scottish city of Glasgow were told Saturday to boil their tap water after recent flooding apparently contaminated the water supply. A Scottish Water spokesman said recent heavy rains and flooding probably washed animal feces from nearby fields into the water supply.' Friday, August 02, 2002 'British climate scientists announced yesterday that the first six months of 2002 have been the second warmest in history and if the trend continues the year could shape up as the highest recorded in human history. Average global temperatures were 60.3° F; 1.03° F above the long term average. The warming was particularly pronounced in the northern hemisphere were temperatures averaged 1.31° F above normal.' Friday, August 02, 2002 CONSTANTA, Romania 'Heavy rains hit the region just inland from the Black Sea on Thursday, said Gheorghe Martin, a local government official. It was the third time in a month that the area has been flooded, resulting in total estimated damage of about 16 billion lei (about dlrs 500,000).' Wednesday, July 31, 2002, LONDON (AP) 'Crews were still trying to reach about 230 homes flooded in Glasgow's east end after heavy rains Tuesday night. Glasgow City Council officials said rescue workers were bringing the stranded residents supplies by boat. In areas worst hit by the downpour Tuesday, meteorologists recorded 3 inches of rain in 24 hours the equivalent of two month's rainfall. The flooding occurred because the rain fell so quickly and could not be absorbed into the ground.' Wednesday, July 31, 2002, MOSCOW 'Doctors urged Muscovites to stay indoors Wednesday to avoid smoke from peat and forest fires choking the Russian capital, causing what emergency officials called the thickest smog in 30 years. Weeks of hot temperatures and a shortage of rainfall helped ignite the fires, and nearly windless weather is keeping the smoke from drifting away.' Wednesday, July 31, 2002 - 'An already dreary summer in Scotland took a turn for the worse on Wednesday as torrential rain caused unprecedented flooding and mudslides across southern portions of the country. Rainfall rates have exceeded an inch an hour. Flash flood warnings remain as many rivers are now above their banks. The rain has left motorists stranded and delayed train travel throughout the country.' Tue Jul 30, 1:01 PM ET, 2002, By SARAH ELMESHAD, Associated Press Writer CAIRO - 'Hospitals and clinics across the Emirates are reportedly receiving increasing numbers of patients suffering from heat stroke, dehydration, drowsiness and heat cramps. ...The Emirates weather department said the average temperature during June and July has been above the normal average of 106. Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, the capital, hit 115. ... Citizens were warned to stay out of the sun and to drink plenty of water. In neighboring Iraq, the temperature in Baghdad Tuesday was 118. The summer heat has been aggravated by almost daily electricity cuts all over country. According to Bahrain's weather department, temperatures in June and July have been above the 99-degree average, at times climbing to 111. Factoring in humidity, which as risen to 80 percent, the temperature felt like 129. In Oman, temperatures soared to above 129 for the first time in 12 years. Normal high temperature this time of the year is 113, according to the Omani weather department. ...' Tuesday, July 30, 2002 BEIJING (AP) - 'Heavy rains in the last week have caused severe flooding in north west China, killing 11 people and leaving 2,300 homeless, state media reported Tuesday. The rains drenched the Xinjiang region from July 21 to July 28, Xinhua News Agency said, citing officials. In Baicheng county, 11 people were killed and 19 miles of dikes were destroyed, causing $2 million in damage, the officials said. Jeminay county has been flooded four times in the past week, with waters reaching more than 3 feet in some places, officials said. nearly 3,000 houses collapsed during the floods, affecting nearly 10,000 residents and leaving 2,300 homeless, Xinhua reported. ... Storms and flooding this summer have killed more than 800 people and battered agriculture, transportation, power grids and other infrastructure, causing about $3.6 billion in damage, state media has reported.' Saturday, July 27, 2002, Earthweek - 'Many of Australia's farmers in New South Wales are on the brink of financial ruin due to the most severe drought to hit the state almost a decade.' Saturday, July 27, 2002, ISTANBUL, Turkey 'The number of deaths from floods, lightning and landslides caused by storms in Turkey this week rose to 40, officials said...Storms have struck central and eastern parts of the country since Tuesday. In Rize, 29 people were killed, two were missing and more than 200 remained homeless in their swamped villages.' Friday July 26, 2002, Guasdualito, Venezuela, AP - 'Military troops in boats patrolled flooded towns in southwestern Venezuela on Wednesday, as air force cargo planes delivered tons of suplies for an estimated 50,000 driven from their homes by rising waters.' Thursday July 25, 2002 BEIJING (Reuters) - 'Floods killed 10 people in two Chinese provinces as the latest wave of storms triggered landslides, toppled billboards and caused at least one building to collapse, the official China Daily reported on Thursday. After a two-week dry spell, a fresh deluge in the past week has added scores to the official death toll of about 800 people from pre-wet season floods in May and June which took the country by surprise.' Thursday July 25, 2002, Michael Christie- (Reuters) - 'Sea temperatures at Australia's Great Barrier Reef last summer were the warmest on record and this year's El Nino event means the risk of mass coral bleaching has increased considerably, scientists reported on Thursday.' Thursday July 25, 2002- 'Officials in Turkey claim 18 people have died in recent days after torrential rain and lightning ravaged the Black Sea coast. At least 9 of the victims were discovered in the hard hit city of Rize.' Thursday July 25, 2002 USA Today - DURANGO, Colo. 'Mudslides caused by heavy rain on areas stripped bare by a 70,000-acre wildfire swept vehicles off roads and carried farm machinery across fields and ditches in the mountainous area of southwestern Colorado.' Wednesday July 24, 2002 Leonie Haimson - 'Severe heat wave in central and southeastern India in May resulted in more than 1,000 deaths, as daily temperatures reached as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Monthly temperatures across the region were 1.8 to 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit above the 1988-2001 mean.' Wednesday July 24, 2002 Leonie Haimson - 'Ongoing drought, among the worst in 20 years, continued in much of Africa, with at least 10 million people threatened by famine in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Swaziland alone. Ethiopia, Somalia, and Tanzania were also severely affected. In some areas of China, drought killed nearly 20 to 30 percent of the rice crop, while in other parts, the heaviest rains on record fell, causing more than 223 deaths and leaving 320,000 homeless.' Tuesday July 23, 2002 CARACAS, Venezuela 'Flooding in southeastern Venezuela has killed three people and left as many as 25,000 homeless. The town of Guasdualito, near the Apure River about 375 miles southeast of Caracas, was among the worst hit with the town center submerged under 3 feet of water (in the ...) cattle-raising region known as the llanos, or plains, which are prone to flooding during the rainy season, from May to November. Monday Jul 22, 2002, JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, AP - 'Some areas in eastern South Africa were declared disaster zones Monday after heavy rains and snowfall caused power failures, destroyed homes and trapped commuters, killing at least 22 people, officials said. Most deaths were from hypothermia and drownings and more than 3,000 homes were damaged or destroyed in the KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces, the hardest hit regions.' Sunday July 20, 2002- JOSEPH B. VERRENGIA, AP Science Writer - 'Nearly two decades after one of the world's most devastating famines in Africa, scientists are pointing a finger at pollution from industrial nations as one of the possible causes. The starvation (was) brought on by the 1970-85 drought that stretched from Senegal to Ethiopia(.) ... Before rains finally returned, 1.2 million people had died. Now, a group of scientists in Australia and Canada say that drought may have been triggered by tiny particles of sulfur dioxide spewed by factories and power plants thousands of miles away in North America, Europe and Asia.' Saturday July 20, 2002-'News agencies in China are reporting that a violent hailstorm has left 14 people dead after egg sized stones pelted northern parts of Henan province in central China. The storm lasted one- half of an hour and mergency officials described hospitals filled with patients that had suffered deep head gashes by the hailstones.' Friday July 19, 2002-'Alaskan glaciers are melting faster than previously thought according to researchers at the University of Alaska. Thinning rate's have doubled between the mid-1990s and 2001.' Thursday July 18, 2002 Verdigre, Neb AP 'Due to drought grasshoppers and Mormon crickets are ravaging crops and pastures across the western United States in what might be the biggest infestation since the early 1940s, doing extensive damage to crop lands.' Wednesday July 17, 2002 QUITO, Ecuador 'Relentless rain on Wednesday made it too dangerous to search for dozens of people buried in a landslide that swept across a remote highway in Ecuador's mountains, officials said. At least 11 vehicles, including a bus carrying 40 people, were buried when a hillside collapsed onto the highway Tuesday, officials said.' Monday July 15, 2002, FRESNO, Calif. USA TODAY 'Air pollution is as bad here as anywhere in the USA, which is making it harder for farmers to grow decent crops. So great is pressure to clean up the air here, and avoid billions of dollars in federal sanctions, almost any strategy to cut a few tons of pollutants is fair game.' Thur July 11, 2002 - 'A violent cold front whipped across Germany Wednesday afternoon knocking down trees, stopping traffic and leaving thousands without electricity. Four people were killed and 12 injured by falling tree limbs. A wind gust of 93 mph was recorded in Berlin.' Wed July 10, 2002 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - 'Record temperatures are searing parts of the West, with triple-digit readings in California, and meteorologists say there's more sweating to come. Residents of more than a dozen cities endured record highs on Tuesday, including 112 at Lancaster; 109 at Sacramento; 106 at Medford, Ore., 103 at Grand Junction, Colo., 102 at Reno, Nev.; and 84 at Quillayute, Wash. Non-record readings included 114 at Needles.' Sun Jul 7, 2002, Italy 'Italian civil defence authorities rushed to drain a melting glacial lake, rising 3 feet a day caused by unseasonably warm temperatures, that is threatening to flood the nearby community of Macugnaga in the Anzasca Valley.' Sun Jul 7, 2002, Russia 'An anthrax vacination compaign has begun, since the country's deadliest floods in decades, that killed at least 109 people in the republics of Ingushetia, Adygea, and Krasnodar, also unearthed a dozen burial grounds of cattle infected with anthrax.' Sat Jul 6, 2002, NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas 'Hundreds of people fled their homes across central and south Texas Friday as more heavy rain sent floodwaters surging over straining dams, ripping houses off their foundations downstream. More than 4,000 people have been forced out by high water in the past week. Flooding has killed at least seven people and caused tens of millions of dollars in damage. Parts of the state have gotten as much as 30 inches of rain since Monday night.' Thu Jul 5, 2002, MOSCOW 'Thousands of people who fled their homes after flooding in southern Russia last week began returning to their villages Sunday as waters subsided. The death toll from the flooding in southern Russia was revised from 93 to 91, said Viktor Beltsov, deputy chief of the Emergency Situations Ministry press service. He said a total of 360 communities were flooded last week, and at least 8,000 homes were ruined.' Thu Jul 4,12:42 PM ET, 2002, - SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (AP) - 'Saying "help is on the way," Gov. Rick Perry has applied for federal disaster relief for areas ravaged by record rainfall from four days of storms. At least five people were killed. The storm dropped more than 15 inches of rain in San Antonio in one 48-hour period.' Wednesday, July 3, 2002, USA-'Wildfires Are a Symptom of a Bigger Problem: In a typical year, about 15 percent of the country might be experiencing drought. Now, more than 40 percent of the country is suffering. The worst recent drought, in July 1988, covered 36 percent of the nation; the worst of the Dust Bowl years was 1934, when in July 65 percent of the country baked. Tue, July 2, 0002 - 'July through June was the driest on record for many places across Southern California, including San Diego. The lack of rain has dried out trees, brush and grass, contributing to fires that have burned more than 75,000 acres in Southern California. It has forced rural communities that rely on wells to conserve water and ranchers and farmers to cut production.' Mon, July 1, 0002 -'Torrential rain continues to inundate portions of south Texas causing flash floods and leaving many rivers at dangerously high levels. More than 10" of rain has pelted the region since Monday. One person has died and another remains in critical condition.' Mon, July 1, 0002 -'Powerful thunderstorms rocked eastern Spain on Monday afternoon. Valencia which is usually dry in July received 5" of rain well above it's monthly average of just .35". The rain caused minor flooding but no reports of injuries.' Sat June 29, 2002 -'Hottest temperatures in a centrury reaching to 109 degrees Fahrenheit, affected Eastern Europe, killing at least two and sending hundreds to hospital suffering from heat stroke. Roads and railways were sprayed with water to prevent cracking and buckling.' Mon June 24, 2002 - ADA, Minn. 'Weary residents of the northwestern Minnesota towns of Ada and Mahnomen kept watch on high water Monday as they endured more flooding on the Wild Rice River. The river began its second rise in two weeks after 10 to 12 inches of rain fell over the weekend.' Sun, June 23, 2002 - 'Floodwaters Race Through Russia. Twenty-eight people have died and thousands of homes have been destroyed after floodwaters dashed through southern Russia.' Sat, June 22, 2002 - 'Deluge Strikes Southern Florida - During the past ten days in West Palm Beach over 13" of rain has fallen double the average monthly total for June. In Orlando, 1.79" inches of rain was measured yesterday.' Sat, June 22, 2002 - SHOW LOW, Ariz. 'Fanned by blowtorch winds, two explosive wildfires consuming about 130,000 acres of forest took double-barreled aim at the Arizona mountain towns of Clay Springs and Pinedale Friday.' Friday, June 21, 2002 Boston Globe - 'Disease Threat Cited in Global Warming - Warming temperatures around the world are increasing the geographical range and virulence of diseases, a trend that could mean more devastating epidemics in humans, animals, and plants, according to a report published in the magazine Science yesterday.' June 20, 2000 - 40,000 Lives Lost In 2001 Disasters. 'The International Federation of the Red Cross reported in it's annual World Disaster report that nearly 40,000 people were killed in 2001 from natural disasters including earthquakes, hurricanes droughts and floods. Over half of last year's toll can be attributed to the quakes which hit the Indian state of Gujarat in January 2001.' June 18 2000 - DHAKA, Bangladesh 'Monsoon rains have flooded northern Bangladesh, trapping as many as 50,000 people in their homes, drowning two children and damaging crops, roads and bridges, officials said Thursday.' June 18 2000 - 'Heavy rain across southern Brazil has forced several thousand people to flee their homes after the Rio Cai and Rio Sao Sebastiao rivers breached their banks. Seven municipalities have declared a state of emergency.' Sun June 16, 2002 HAVANA 'Authorities have evacuated more than 30,000 people from a province in central-eastern Cuba because a reservoir is in danger of overflowing following heavy rain, the government's National Information Agency said Saturday.' Sun June 16, 2002 ST. PAUL, Minn. 'President Bush declared northwestern Minnesota a disaster area Friday, making federal aid available to a region where up to a foot of rain fell in recent days.' Thu June 13, 2002 - ROSEAU, Minn. 'The region, just south of the Canadian border, has been deluged with 5 to 12 inches of rain since the weekend. The National Guard dispatched about 100 soldiers to Roseau, and the Army Corps of Engineers hired contractors to build emergency levees. Lt. Gov. Mae Schunk, acting for Gov. Jesse Ventura, who is in China, declared states of emergency in 13 counties.' Wed June 12, 2002 - 'With the largest wildfire in Colorado's history hovering outside Denver, dozens of evacuees watched helplessly as billowing gray clouds hung ominously over their homes. The wind-whipped, 87,000-acre blaze was moving slowly to the northeast late Tuesday, coming within 35 miles of Denver.' Tue June 11, 2002- 'Scores Missing From Storm In China. Up to 100 people remain missing after torrential rain knocked down homes and bridges in China's Shaanxi Province. Six people were killed in the nasty weather. At least 28 counties in the province have reported major flooding.' Mon June 10, 2002- BOGOTA, Colombia -- 'Heavy rain in Colombia sent rivers pouring over their banks Sunday, causing floods that forced more than 2,000 people out of their homes.' Fri Jun 7, 2002 - 1 Dead in France Floods, Mudslides Fri Jun 7, 2002 - 'Three killed, one missing after severe floods hit southern Germany. Tue June 4, 2002- 'Flood Leaves Nine Dead in Chile. Santiago received 5" of rain in the 72 hour period ending Monday evening.' Sat June 1, 2002 - 'Nasty Storm Hits Pennsylvania. One woman was killed and fifty-four injured after the thunderstorms toppled a building at the Kennywood Amusement Park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania.'
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