March 16, 2012

Recent Natural Events

Unexpected torrents of rain displace over 1,000 people in Punta Arenas in Chile’s south.

A torrent of rainfall struck Punta Arenas, near the southern tip of Chile, on late Sunday night, flooding nearly 240 acres of land and culminating in the worst storm in the city had seen in 22 years. Read

Texas drought threatens agriculture

Farmers are unlikely to bring in big yields due to insufficient water as a result of an ongoing drought in the U.S. state of Texas. Watch

Cusco, Peru,  in state of emergency

The Government of Cusco declared emergency for 60 days due to the damage caused by the rain. Read  

Other Disasters Related News

Drought Takes Toll On Mexico’s Monarch Population

A new report says the number of Monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico is down and the drought is part of the reason. Read

Argentina - Farmers slowly start to harvest drought-hit soy

Farmers have started harvesting soybeans but heavy rains that arrived after months of drought have slowed efforts to gather the parched crops, the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange said.  Read

Warmth Expected Across U.S. for Next Three Months, U.S. Says

A streak of above-normal temperatures that led to the fourth-warmest U.S. winter on record is expected to continue for the next three months, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. Read

U.S. tornado damage 'manageable' for insurance industry: S&P

The analysis, “Despite the Early Start to the 2012 U.S. Tornado Season, Insured Losses are Manageable for the Industry,” noted a report by catastrophe modeler EQECAT Inc. that found tornado activity through early March was more than double that of the 2005-2011 average. Read

March 09, 2012

Recent Natural Events

Severe flooding in Acre, Brazil

More than 130,000 people have been affected by floods in 10 municipalities of Acre State, Brazil. Read

Fatal floods in Ecuador

The Ecuadorian government has announced that at least 20 people have died and 65 were injured due to the flooding in Ecuador's coastal provinces. Watch

Recap of deadly U.S. tornado outbreak February 28-March 3, 2012

A deadly series of storms produced violent tornadoes that killed over 50 people from February 28 to March 3, 2012. Read

Other Disasters Related News

Dominica receives US$4.1-m CDB loan

“The new loan would help Dominica reduce risks associated with landslide and flood hazards in the Roseau Valley,” said Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) President Dr Warren Smith. Read

Scientists see rise in tornado-creating conditions

According to some climate scientists, such earlier-than-normal outbreaks of tornadoes, which typically peak in the spring, will become the norm as the planet warms. Read

Simple Steps to Improving Aid Effectiveness

As donors struggle to meet their aid commitments, and the number of people around the world in need of direct humanitarian and development assistance skyrockets, many experts and activists are asking the tough question: are donors being effective? Read

Forecasters: La Niña gone by end of April, dry spell may plague US South

Texas still reeling from 2011 drought, worst in a century. Read

Solar storm strengthens Friday before it wanes; new flare heading to Earth on Sunday

Solar storms, which can’t hurt people, can disturb electric grids, GPS systems, and satellites. They can also spread colorful Northern Lights further south than usual, as the latest storm did early Friday. Read

Watch

March 02, 2012

Recent Natural Events

Apparent tornadoes strike northeast Alabama

Residents in northeast Alabama assessed the damage Friday caused by at least two apparent tornadoes in the area, including blows to a high school and a prison. Read  

U.S. Midwest hit by tornadoes that take lives, destroy homes

At least nine people were killed and parts of several towns were flattened, according to local officials on February 29. Read

Tornado aftermath in the US - in pictures

Residents of towns in the American south Midwest assess the damage after tornadoes killed people and caused widespread destruction.

Watch

Guyana Floods – Several drainage pumps fail as city is submerged

City Mayor, Hamilton Green, has blamed continuous heavy rainfall, non-functional drainage structures and clogged drains for flooding in and around Georgetown yesterday. Read

Floods in the Bolivian Amazon

Three days of heavy rains, on the Bolivian side of Amazonian, caused the overflowing of the river Acre in the triple border between Peru, Brazil and Bolivia the last weekend. Read

Landslides in Ecuador

Heavy rain is causing flooding and landslides along Ecuador's coast affecting hundreds of people. Read

Other Disasters Related News

Chile’s Earthquake Reconstruction Hindered by Delays and Profiteering

Two years after the earthquake and tsunami in south-central Chile, the worst natural disaster to hit the country in half a century, thousands of families who saw their homes destroyed are still waiting for a solution. Read

Praying for rain in Paraguay

A severe drought is threatening the livelihood of thousands of small farmers across Paraguay. Read

South American Drought Affecting Soybean Reserve Levels

Drought in South America, where farmers are harvesting this month, caused irreversible crop damage and will reduce global production by 7.2 percent. Read

Brazil, emerging South-South donor

The Brazilian government is stepping up South-South aid, to strengthen the South American giant’s status as a donor country and its international clout. It now provides assistance to 65 countries, and its financial aid has grown threefold in the last seven years. Read  

Dominica - West coast residents to get storm relief

Over one hundred residents along Dominica’s west coast affected by a tropical storm in 2011 will receive relief from next week. Read

Panama -  $100 million standby facility to address potential earthquakes and floods

Panama will substantially improve its ability to respond to natural disasters with a $100 million Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) standby loan. Read

High school teachers in the Bahamas attend seminar on climate change

“Workshops cover three years of information sharing. They are targeted to benefit educators, journalists, and policymakers to help citizens make an effortless transition to adapting to climate change,” said Lisa Benjamin, chairwoman for the Public Education and Outreach (PEO) Sub-Committee, under the National Climate Change Committee. Read