2024 Disasters in Numbers
<p>In 2024, the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) recorded 393 natural hazard-related disasters. These events caused 16,753 fatalities and affected 167.2 million people. Economic losses totaled US$241.95
Natural Disasters
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Bush offers Hu help for quake
US President George W. Bush has spoken by phone with Chinese President Hu Jintao on the powerful earthquake that hit central China. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said on Tuesday the President expressed his condolences on the thousands of deaths in the quake and offered to assist where possible. She said the US is offering an initial $500,000 in relief in anticipation of an appeal by the International Red Cross. Mr Bush also raised with Mr Hu the turmoil in Tibet and noted the recent meeting in China and Dalai Lama representatives.
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Seismologist warned of quake five years ago
More than five years ago, a seismologist had warned of a strong earthquake in China's Sichuan province, where the most devastating quake in more than three decades occurred on Monday killing thousands of people, the state media reported. Seismologist Chen Xuezhong of the Geophysics Institute of State Seismological Bureau (SSB) had made his forecast long ago based on historical records and animal studies, the state-run China Daily said.
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Climate change forcing people to migrate to urban areas
More and more people are migrating to urban areas because of climate change as it is causing frequent natural disasters, making the disaster-prone areas unlivable, experts said at a seminar yesterday. It would be difficult to provide employment for the increasing number of migrants, but the government remains indifferent to this issue, they said. Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) organised the seminar on 'Climate change, migration and Bangladesh' at the RC Majumder Auditorium at Dhaka University.
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Storms hamper rescue efforts
The death toll from Chi na's most devastating earthquake in three decades has jumped to at least 11,921, a top disaster official said on Tuesday, as storms hampered rescuers in the most devastated areas. The state media reports indicated that the number of dead from the 7.9 magnitude quake was likely to soar. Xinhua news agency said 10,000 people were buried in the Mianzhu area of southwestern Sichuan province alone. Troops had also arrived for the first time at Wenchuan county, the epicentre of the quake.
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Myanmar regime accused of hoarding cyclone aid
The United Nations said yesterday that only a tiny portion of international aid needed for Myanmar's cyclone victims is making it into the country, amid reports that the military regime is hoarding good-quality foreign aid for itself and doling out rotten food. The country's isolated military regime has agreed to accept relief shipments from the UN and foreign countries, but has largely refused entry to aidworkers who might distribute the aid.
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Wait another year for the rain radar!
MUMBAIKARS looking for some respite from erratic rainfall predictions as experienced on 26/7, are in for a disappointment. Reason: The much-awaited installation of a Doppler Radar for accurate weather forecast continues to be stalled for one reason or the other.
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Rain hampers China earthquake rescue efforts
Torrential rain and powerful aftershocks on Tuesday hampered efforts to rescue victims of an earthquake in China's southwestern Sichuan Province as the death toll rose to nearly 12,000, although the figure is likely to soar as state media said nearly 19,000 were buried under rubble in one city alone. In quake-hit areas accessible by road from the Sichuan capital Chengdu, the official rescue effort was fast and on a massive scale as the government mobilised all its resources to unblock roads and search for survivors.
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Vast Chile Volcano Ash Cloud Partially Collapses
A towering cloud of hot ash, gas and molten rock spewed miles into the air by a volcano in southern Chile has partially collapsed, raising fears it could smother surrounding villages, an expert said on Tuesday. Luis Lara, a scientist with the government's geology and mining agency, said the column of ash, which had soared as high as 20 miles (30 km), was now about 4.5 miles (7 km). The column of debris, kept aloft by the pressure of constant eruptions, could collapse entirely, smothering the ghost town of Chaiten 6 miles (10 km) away with hot gas, ash and molten rocks.
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Australia facing further drought
The New South Wales government warned yesterday that Australia's main eastern state was facing another "horror autumn" of drought to already devastated farmlands. The government said the area of the state officially in drought had increased to 48.4 per cent from 42.9 per cent a month earlier as farmers wait for rain in order to plant wheat and other winter crops. "These figures represent a real fear that our winter crop may again be savaged by this merciless drought," Ian Macdonald, primary industries minister, said.
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General constitution (editorial)
The cyclone in Myanmar has killed 37,000 people. Another 1.5 million have been rendered homeless. The people badly need help but the rulers, a military junta, have been refusing it. Instead they have gone ahead with a referendum held to legitimise permanent military rule. Already, the military has been in power for 46 years. The new, army-drafted constitution is anything but democratic. It favours a presidential system, and the president has to be an army officer. No woman can be president.