The report investigates the broad concept of the economics of drought management, provides a conceptual, two-tier framework for the assessment of proactive and reactive actions, and disseminates case studies
Thousands of panic-stricken people stayed out in the open overnight in the quake-ravaged Sichuan province after a government warning about a strong aftershock, as China struggled to find shelters for some 50 lakh rendered homeless in the worst natural calamity in three decades. The stories of miraculous survivals meanwhile continued to pour in with rescue workers pulling out a 31-year-old man, who spent 179 hours under the rubble of a power plant.
Heavy rainfall in the Southeast and record snowpack in the Rockies have eased dramatically the nation's worst drought in more than a century. Drought conditions are the least severe since January 2006. A quarter of the USA is suffering some form of drought today, down from 65% last summer, federal agencies said. In the Southeast, where drought has been most severe, the area in drought has plummeted from 86% in August to 40% today.
China raised the number of dead or missing from a devastating earthquake to more than 70,000 on Tuesday, as rescuers found another survivor eight days after the huge tremor hit. A government statement said the number killed had now topped 40,000, and state news agency Xinhua reported that a further 32,000 were missing. Authorities had previously said they expected the final death toll to exceed 50,000. More than 247,000 were injured.
Myanmar's junta has given the World Food Program permission to use helicopters to send aid to cyclone survivors, the United Nations said on Tuesday, as flags flew at half-staff across the country to mourn the dead. The first day of a three-day mourning period passed in torrential rain and diplomatic prodding of the reclusive generals to allow more international aid after Cyclone Nargis hit in early May, leaving 134,000 people dead or missing.
As the world grapples with fears of a major food crisis, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator has decided to reserve $100 million from the world body's emergency fund to address immediate issues arising from it. John Holmes, who also serves as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said that these funds will be used for life-saving activities in the hardest-hit sectors, including food, agriculture, health, nutrition and logistics.
Minor tremor measuring 3.5 on the Richter scale was recorded in the Surat city on Tuesday, an official said. However, no damage of properties were reported from any part of the city, district officals added. "The tremor was of 3.5 magnitude on the Richter Scale with epicentre located north-east of Surat city," said B K Rastogi, Director of Institute of Sesmological Research, Gandhinagar. According to sources, the tremor was felt in the Chowk Bazar, Katargam, Wade Road, Rander and other areas of Surat at 1427 hours where people were seen rushing out of the buildings.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon will travel to Myanmar on Wednesday to try to persuade the leaders of military regime to allow large-scale foreign aid and humanitarian workers to provide assistance to millions of victims of Cyclone Nargis, which has killed over 100,000. Ban's three-day visit comes as the world body estimated that hundred of thousands of victims are at the high risk of starvation and disease with the government refusing to allow large-scale foreign aid and rescue workers in the country.
Asia's worst natural disasters since 2004 tsunami Hundreds of aftershocks have rattled China's Sichuan province following last Monday's devastating quake which killed nearly 32,500, state news agency Xinhua said. Early on Sunday, another 6.1 magnitude tremor caused thousands to flee as buildings swayed in the provincial capital, Chengdu. Here are some of the region's worst natural disasters since the Asian tsunami of 2004.
When the earthquake came to Pingtong it destroyed all but four buildings in this town, once home to 9,700 people. A week later the survivors are refugees in the ruins, situated in a gorge directly above the fault-line that delivered a 7.9 magnitude blow to Sichuan province on May 12. The town lost 111 middle-school school students and 47 grammar school students. Every adult can give the exact count of the children lost and saved, although they are vague on the total number of deaths, estimated at about 500.
Tens of thousands of panicked residents rushed into the streets of Chengdu in southwest China early on Tuesday, alarmed by a television report that predicted another powerful earthquake would hit the region. The pandemonium triggered by the TV report, as China observed three days of mourning for the nearly 34,000 killed in the May 12 earthquake, showed how people's nerves have been stretched to breaking point by the disaster, and aftershocks.
