The USA Disaster Situation Report
The Daily USA Disaster Situation Report
For January 24, 2001
Christopher Effgen, Editor, host{at}disastercenter.com
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IN THIS ISSUE
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=> USA Daily Temperature Extremes
=> Special Notes
=> Current Active National Weather Service Warnings:
=> Severe Weather Probability Forecast
=> Precipitation Forecast, Excessive Rainfall, Heavy Snow And/Or Significant
Icing Forecast
=> USA Flood Report
=> USA Fire Report and Forecast
=> USA Earthquake Report
=> Yesterday's USA Severe Weather Reports
=> Guest Column-
=> Sponsored by The Rothstein Catalog On Disaster Recovery
**** ARTICLES ****
=> Article Pentagon Questions Use Of Iraqi Facilities
=> Article NOAA Experiment Aims To Improve Winter Storm Forecasts Along
West
Coast
=> Article Cohen Absolves USS Cole Skipper, Crew
=> Article OCHA Situation Report No. 9 Central America - Earthquake
=> Article ACT Alert - Mongolia 1/2001 Blizzards bury areas in Snow and Ice
=> Classified Ads
=> Links Area
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
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Sponsored by the The Rothstein Catalog On Disaster Recovery
http://www.disastercenter.com/Rothstein/
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=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information
The Daily USA Disaster Situation Report
For January 24, 2001
Christopher Effgen, Editor, host{at}disastercenter.com
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------
=> USA Daily Temperature Extremes
=> Special Notes
Anchorage Alaska had the warmest November and December combined on record
and is currently
on it's way to having the warmest January on record.
The MRF indicates that another larger low is headed for Oregon and
California. This weekends
weather may be quite severe.
At one point we tried to get information related to the power failures in
California with an eye to
making this information available to our sites users. The problem appears to
be two fold First the
organizations that make these decisions do not have a system set up whereby
we can receive this
information by email, and second some people do not want the public to know
for fear the the public
will time their riots around the power shortages.
=> Current Active National Weather Service Warnings:
Active Warnings:
Updated Wed Jan 24 11:01:24 2001
Winter Storm
Arizona
MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE EASTERN SLOPES OF
THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA AND SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN ABOVE 5000
FEET TODAY AND TONIGHT...
California
WESTERN SISKIYOU COUNTY-CENTRAL SISKIYOU COUNTY- SOUTH CENTRAL
SISKIYOU COUNTY-
...SNOW ADVISORY FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL SISKIYOU COUNTY THROUGH
12 PM...
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK- OWENS VALLEY AND ADJACENT EASTERN
SIERRA SLOPES-
...A SNOW ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT ABOVE 5000 FEET TODAY
SNOW ADVISORIES CONTINUE FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF LOS ANGELES
VENTURA...AND SANTA BARBARA COUNTIES... VENTURA COUNTY
MOUNTAINS-
..A SNOW ADVISORY CONTINUES ABOVE 4500 FEET FOR 4 TO 8 INCHES OF
SNOW.
HEAVY SNOW EXPECTED AS STORM SYSTEM APPROACHES NORTHWEST
CALIFORNIA ON THURSDAY...
Colorado
WINTER STORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST UTAH AND SOUTHWEST
COLORADO LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY...
...HEAVY SNOW EXPECTED FOR THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS
THURSDAY...
Michigan
LAKE EFFECT SNOW FOR WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN
TODAY...
Minnesota
Wisconsin
LAKE SNOW CONTINUES ACROSS NORTHERN IRON COUNTY...
New Mexico
WINTER STORM WATCH THURSDAY FOR THE WESTCENTRAL AND NORTHERN
MOUNTAINS...NORTHWEST PLATEAU...NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS AND CENTRAL
HIGH PLAINS...
Nevada
MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE EASTERN SLOPES OF
THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA AND SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN ABOVE 5000
FEET TODAY AND TONIGHT...
SNOW TO CONTINUE OVER SIERRA TODAY...
.A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TODAY BRINGING
SNOW TO MUCH OF THE AREA. SNOWFALL WILL BEGIN TAPPER OFF LATER
TODAY AS THE TROUGH MOVES EAST.
New York
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY EARLY THIS EARLY MORNING FOR FREEZING
DRIZZLE AND MIX OF SNOW FOR JEFFERSON AND LEWIS COUNTIES...
Oregon
SNOW CONTINUES TO FALL IN THE MOUNTAINS...SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS AND
SOUTHERN OREGON CASCADES
.A STALLED STORM SYSTEM WILL PRODUCE ADDITIONAL SNOW IN THE
MOUNTAINS TODAY.
Utah
CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS-HENRY MOUNTAINS-SOUTH CENTRAL
UTAH- SOUTHWEST UTAH-WEST CENTRAL UTAH-
..SNOW ADVISORY TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING...
=> Severe Weather Probability Forecast
The forecast probability of an event is by the stated percentage or greater
for the event, within 25 miles of any point for the area described.
Tornado Risk - Slight
There is a 2% probability of a tornado over inlnd and coastal areas of
southwest California.
Hail Risk - Slight
There is a 5% probability of hail 3/4 inch or larger central west, central
and southwest California
Wind Risk - Slight
There is less than a 5% probability of winds in excess of 50 knots.
Tomorrow's Risk -
There is less than a 5% probability of any severe weather tomorrow.
=> Precipitation Forecast, Excessive Rainfall, Heavy Snow And/Or
Significant
Icing Forecast
Precipitation Forecast
The 24 hour precipitation forecast is calling for over 1 inch of
precipitation over a small portion of
central California.
The 24 - 48 hour precipitation forecast is calling for over 1 inch of
precipitation over northwest
California.
Excessive Rainfall Forecast
Rainfall is not expected to exceed flash flood values.
USA heavy snow and/or significant icing
>From noon to midnight today EST the probability of 4 inches or greater of
snow is low over the
central north portion of Michigan's northern peninsula
The probability of 1/4 inch or greater of ice accumulation is less than 20%
>From midnight to noon tomorrow EST the probability of 12 inches or greater
of snow is low over a
portion of southwest Colorado.
The probability of 1/4 inch or greater of ice accumulation is less than 20%
Current USA Snow and Ice Cover
http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/surface/us_NESDISsnow.gif
=> USA Flood Report
NATIONAL HYDROLOGIC SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS
08:35 AM EST WED JAN 24 2001
FLOOD SUMMARY
CONTINUED SOUTHERN FLOODING
MINOR FLOODING CONTINUES ALONG SEVERAL RIVERS IN TEXAS, LOUISIANA
AND MISSISSIPPI. EXTENSIVE AGRICULTURAL LAND REMAINS UNDER WATER
NEAR THE BIG BLACK RIVER IN MISSISSIPPI.
FLASH FLOODING:
THERE WERE NO FLOOD/FLASH FLOOD AND/OR URBAN AND SMALL STREAM
FLOOD ADVISORIES ISSUED DURING THE PAST 24 HOURS
RIVER FLOODING:
RIVERS AND STREAMS WITH LOCATIONS EITHER ABOVE FLOOD STAGE OR
EXPECTED TO RISE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE INCLUDE:
ALABAMA: THE TOMBIGBEE RIVER
ARKANSAS: THE OUACHITA AND CACHE RIVERS
LOUISIANA: THE LOWER PEARL, CALCASIEU, LITTLE AND BOEUF
RIVERS; LAKE D'ARBONNE, BAYOU DORCHEAT, RED CHUTE BAYOU
MISSISSIPPI: THE BIG BLACK, UPPER PEARL AND YOCKANOOKANY
RIVERS
TEXAS: THE TRINITY, GUADALUPE, SABINE, NECHES, ANGELINA AND
SULPHUR RIVERS; PINE ISLAND AND BLACK CYPRESS BAYOUS, CADDO
LAKE
=> USA Fire Report and Forecast
The USA Fire Report and Forecast has not been updated.
=> USA Earthquake Report
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE INFORMATION CENTER
GOLDEN, COLORADO
LISTS OF U.S. EARTHQUAKES IN THE LAST 30 HOURS
Prepared by USGS/NEIC 2001 JAN 24 at 00:15 UTC
NO EVENTS
=> Yesterday's USA Severe Weather Reports
Note: All data is considered preliminary
Tornado Reports
No reports received
Hail Reports
No reports received
Wind Reports
No reports received
Fields marked UNK are unknown
All Times UTC
Wind Gusts in MPH
Hail Sizes in 1/100 of an Inch (75 = 0.75")
=> Guest Column
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**** ARTICLES ****
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=> Pentagon Questions Use Of Iraqi Facilities
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2001 -- The Defense Department is
keeping a wary eye on some rebuilt factories outside
Baghdad, Iraq, that once produced material suitable for
chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction,
officials said.
American and British fliers bombed the buildings in 1998
during Operation Desert Fox, after the Iraqi government
forced UN weapons inspectors to leave the country, said DoD
spokesman Navy Rear Adm. Craig R. Quigley at a Jan. 23
Pentagon news briefing.
"We have seen their reconstitution of some of the
infrastructure that existed prior to some of our attacks in
December of 1998," Quigley said. "What we don't know is:
What is going on in those facilities? That is a cause for
concern to us, given Saddam Hussein's past track record of
obfuscation and denial of his programs of [weapons of mass
destruction]."
Iraq is required to destroy all of its chemical, biological
and nuclear weapons of mass destruction as part of the 1991
UN Security Council resolutions it signed at the conclusion
of the Persian Gulf War, Quigley noted.
He said Iraqi authorities have given plausible explanations
for the use of the facilities and cited recent press
reports that say one of the facilities produces chlorine,
which can be used for water purification, while another
makes oil for brake fluid.
However, those reports also note that chlorine can be used
for poison gas, and that a biological toxin can be made
from castor oil.
Quigley admitted the Pentagon "cannot say with certainty
that we know exactly what is going on inside those
facilities that we have seen." However, he added that DoD
isn't inclined to automatically believe any statements
provided by Saddam Hussein's regime as to the purpose of
those factories.
"Given his past track record, it will remain a matter of
concern for us," he said.
=> NOAA Experiment Aims To Improve Winter Storm Forecasts Along West
Coast
High winds, heavy rain and extreme surf conditions have already battered
West Coast residents this winter, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration researchers hope a new experiment will give them an edge
over the storms. This week's experiment is designed to advance NOAA's
understanding and prediction of severe Pacific Ocean winter storms.
The project is called PACJET, Pacific Landfalling Jets Experiment, and is
a collaborative effort between NOAA, the U.S. Navy, other government and
university entities. Its goal is to gain further insight into how the "low
level jet," a fast moving current of air centered at 3,000 feet altitude,
impacts weather patterns and, thereby, improve the accuracy of short (0-24
hour) range weather forecasts along the West Coast. The experiment will be
based in Monterey, Calif. and will run from Jan. 20 to Mar. 4, 2001.
Given the impact of these storms on the West Coast, accurate and timely
forecasts and storm watches and warnings have become vitally important.
While NOAA has an extensive network of Doppler weather radars, weather
balloons, advanced satellites and surface observing systems across the
United States, the Pacific Ocean, where many weather systems form, is data
sparse by comparison.
Dr. F. Martin Ralph, the project leader from NOAA's Environmental
Technology Laboratory in Boulder, Colo., says forecasters are particularly
interested in improving the prediction of coastal storms. "Hazardous
weather due to these storms has caused major loss of life and property in
the West Coast states of California, Oregon and Washington over the years,"
said Ralph.
High winds, heavy rain and extreme flooding can occur in a very short
period of time as these storms reach land. Ralph believes that by focusing
the latest technology and tools on this problem, it may help researchers
learn more about the causes of these storms and provide forecasters with
better information.
The program builds on experience gained from an earlier West Coast
project, CALJET, which was conducted during the strong El Niņo winter of
1997-98. That experiment explored the relationship between El Niņo and
extreme coastal storms.
"The local and state emergency management community felt strongly that the
data delivered to forecasters by CALJET were extremely valuable in saving
lives and property," Ralph said. PACJET will expand the geographic area
covered by CALJET to include not only California, but Washington and
Oregon, and will target the coastal zone, areas for which weather forecasts
are more difficult to make because data about the incoming systems is often
not available.
NOAA's WP-3D "Hurricane Hunter" will be the flying laboratory in which
much of the data is collected. Crewed by NOAA Corps officers and civilians
from NOAA's Aircraft Operations Center in Tampa, Fla., the plane will fly
out of Monterey, Calif. directly into the storms. An ozone sensor will be
mounted on the plane to conduct air chemistry studies.
Using a new satellite communications link, the P-3 aircraft will be able
to communicate with forecasters on the ground on a real-time basis,
enabling researchers to send forecasters radar images, audio transmissions,
and other information from the aircraft. In addition, there will be
ground-based instruments measuring wind and water vapor, and a new GOES
satellite scan for cloud-tracked winds.
National Weather Service Western Region Director Vickie Nadolski says this
experiment will be invaluable to the forecasters.
"Much of what forecasters deal with is dominated by events that happen in
the short-term (0-24 hours) time scale, such as flooding or high wind
events and issuing storm watches and warnings. This experiment will be a
great help to us to better understand the influence of the low level jet
and the ocean," said Nadolski. "And, we are also hopeful that as a result
of this experiment, that long-term programs might be established that would
infuse the most useful new technologies and techniques into our daily
operations."
Ralph says that the investment the country is making in weather and
climate research and modernized weather services have and will continue to
provide important benefits to the public.
"Experiments like CALJET and PACJET will continue to expand our
understanding of the interactions that occur between the ocean and the
atmosphere," said Ralph.
=> Cohen Absolves USS Cole Skipper, Crew
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2001 -- Neither the captain nor any
crew member of the USS Cole will be punished because of the
Oct. 12 terrorist attack on the destroyer in Aden, Yemen,
senior DoD and Navy leaders announced Jan. 19 at the
Pentagon.
During his last
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jan2001/t01192001_t0119sn.html
DoD press conference, then-Defense
Secretary William S. Cohen said he agreed with the Navy's
just-released Judge Advocate General Manual Proceeding
report, which investigated whether the Cole's captain and
crew had been negligent or deficient in executing their
force protection duties. Defense Secretary Donald H.
Rumsfeld was sworn in Jan. 20.
Referring to the 1,600-page report, Cohen said Navy leaders
concluded that the overall performance of the captain and
his crew does not warrant punitive action.
"I agree with that conclusion," he said. "However, the
question of accountability is deeper and more complex than
the performance of the crew alone." Cohen was accompanied
at the briefing by Navy Secretary Richard Danzig and Adm.
Vern Clark, chief of naval operations.
Cohen said no one person or persons are to be blamed for
the attack on the Cole. That responsibility, he remarked,
"belongs to all of us in leadership positions." The bombing
killed 17 sailors and wounded 39.
"Under the circumstances, the full implementation of the
force protection plan probably could not have prevented the
attack," he added.
Cohen remarked that senior DoD leadership "including myself
... needed to engage more vigorously in examination of the
range of potential threats. Clever, committed terrorists
are predators who will always search and look for
weaknesses, and we simply have to do a better job of
finding and correcting those weaknesses before the
terrorists find them and exploit them."
Danzig and Clark said they agreed with Cohen's assessment,
with Clark noting "there is a collective responsibility
here -- and that we in the chain of command share
responsibility for what happened." Clark said the
terrorists apparently had planned the Cole attack at least
18 months in advance.
"The investigation clearly shows the commanding officer of
the Cole did not have the specific intelligence
(information), the focused training, the appropriate
equipment and on-scene security support to effectively
prevent or deter such a determined, such a pre-planned,
assault on his ship," he said.
Clark ticked off some important lessons learned from the
Navy's Cole report:
o "We must do a better job of both training and equipping
our ships to operate within reasonable risk, and that means
risk will never go away completely ... . We must do this
especially when our ships are called upon to operate in
high-threat areas."
o "It is quite clear that there is collective
responsibility for oversights in pre-deployment training,
for threat awareness, and in-theater support for entering
new ports."
o "The Navy must take force protection to a new level and
challenge every assumption we have about how we conduct our
operations around the world."
Danzig felt that port security at Aden, which was outside
the Cole captain's purview, was inadequate.
"We need to sharpen the degree to which we secure host-
nation support security arrangements and make sure that our
captains are well informed with regard to them. It doesn't
seem to me, in this instance, to have been a good match in
that regard," he said.
Cohen, Danzig and Clark all cited the Cole's captain, Cmdr.
Kirk Lippold, and his crew for heroism in keeping the
destroyer afloat and tending to wounded after suicide
bombers blew a gaping hole at the waterline on the ship's
left side.
"Words can't adequately capture the deep sense of sorrow
and loss that all of us in the United States Navy and in
the nation feel for the 17 sailors who gave their lives in
service to the country," Clark said. "Our hearts today
again go out to the families, the friends, the shipmates
and the other loved ones of the Cole family.
"And, certainly, this investigation points out the true
heroism of the men and women of the Cole."
The Navy's Cole report findings will be incorporated with
force protection recommendations provided by the Gehman-
Crouch Cole Commission report which was released Jan. 9.
The FBI investigation seeking the perpetrators of the Cole
bombing is ongoing.
An edited, publicly accessible version of the Navy's <a href=
http://www.foia.navy.mil/usscole
>Cole
report</a> is available at www.foia.navy.mil/usscole.
=> OCHA Situation Report No. 9 Central America - Earthquake
22 January 2001 El Salvador
Situation
1. The United Nations Resident Coordinator in El Salvador informs that
aftershocks are still continuing, totaling 1,953 as of 21 January 2001,
according to the National Emergency Committee (COEN). According to the
same official figures released on 21 January, the death toll is 704, with
4,055 people injured and 573,609 people affected nationwide. 496
landslides have been recorded. 69,714 houses were destroyed and 104,865
damaged by the devastating earthquake of 13 January.
2. The following departments are in greater need of assistance: La Paz
(144,783 people affected), La Libertad (90,585), San Vicente (83,228) and
Usulutan (81,662). Some 68,000 people have been evacuated so far.
3. It is estimated that some 60,000 people are now in temporary shelters.
In view of crowded shelter conditions (some 10,000 persons in the
Cafetalon shelter in Santa Tecla), priority needs are mostly concentrated
on basic humanitarian needs for the people in shelters.
4. The President of El Salvador has announced that the removal of debris
and the construction of temporary housing for the affected population,
following the emergency relief phase, would start next week.
5. The Government has confirmed that schools would resume on 22 January,
except for the following four departments, Santa Ana, San Salvador, La
Libertad and Usulutan, where classes may start one week later. In these
four departments, damage assessment of school buildings is continuing and
preliminary reports indicate that out of 4,820 educational centers, 1,696
have been damaged.
Priority Needs
6. COEN and the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination
(UNDAC) team provided the following priority needs:
Shelter materials: cement-fiber sheeting, corrugated iron sheets, electric
power generators, industrial tapes, megaphones, nails, plastic sheeting,
sleeping bags, tarpaulins, tents, tools, wood
Food and water: canned food, coffee, corn, drinking water, flour, instant
soups, noodles, powder milk, red beans (frijoles), salt, sugar
Kitchen utensils: disposable plates and cups, feeding bottles, plastic
items and water containers
Personal hygiene items: cotton towels, disposable diapers, lamps,
latrines, laundry soaps, medicine, plastic bags, repellents, sanitary
napkins, bath soaps, tooth brush and paste, toilet paper
Other items: clothing, coats, lamps, mattresses, megaphones, sheets, water
containers
National Response
7. The Government opened a website, Earthquake Information Center at
www.terremoto.gob.sv.
8. The National Emergency Committee (COEN) continues to coordinate relief
activities and has set up a web page with information on this emergency at
www.coensv.50megs.com.
9. The National Commission for Solidarity, in charge of the reception and
distribution of the contributions from the international community, has
produced an official guide on direct cash contributions, which can be
found at their website: www.rree.gob.sv.
10. Contributions can be placed in the following accounts, especially set
up by the Government for this purpose: Banco Salvadoreņo, savings account
number 024-54-0020989, or Banco Agricola, checking account number
303-002-002-3, in each case, with the reference Comite Financiero de
Solidaridad (CONFISOL).
11. The Social Investment Fund for Local Development (FISDL) has started
to distribute temporary housing modules for the most affected populations.
12. According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Salvadorean Red Cross (SRC) has been
officially requested by the Ministry of Health to take responsibility for
the coordination of relief to all temporary shelters. The focus is on the
areas of basic health care, water and sanitation, psychological support
and food assistance. The Government remains formally responsible for the
administration of the shelters, including registration and allocation of
those affected. A committee, consisting of representatives of the Ministry
of Health, SRC, PAHO, the Federation and the American Red Cross, will
coordinate with other agencies concerned with regards to the distribution
of relief goods.
International Response
13. The United Nations system is preparing a United Nations Inter-Agency
Appeal, which is due to be presented in 23 January in San Salvador. The
Appeal will cover emergency relief and initial rehabilitation needs for
the period of six months (February to July 2001).
14. The UNDAC team is assisting in preparing the Inter-Agency Appeal for
the international community, in coordinating the international assistance
through the UN system and the UNV/White Helmets team.
15. The four members of UNV/White Helmets team, who arrived on 17 - 18
January, have been concentrating on needs assessment, identification of
victims, and on shelter administration and logistics.
16. The United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA) has
offered to donate 42 camping tents, which would be delivered to the border
of Guatemala - El Salvador in a few days, to be provided to UNDP - El
Salvador.
17. A list of contributions reported to date is attached. For further
information on international assistance, interested donor countries may
wish to contact the focal point for international assistance at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Dr. Elisabeth Cubias, International
Assistance Coordinator, mobile no. +503-8-85.80.74, fax no.503-2-43.85.82,
e-mail: ecubias{at}rree.gob.sv
18. OCHA is prepared to serve as channel for cash contributions to be
used for immediate relief assistance, in co-ordination/consultation with
relevant organizations in the United Nations system. Funds should be
transferred to OCHA account no. CO-590.160.0, Swift code: UBSWCHZ12A at
the UBS AG, P.O. Box 2770, CH-1211 Geneva 2, with reference: "OCHA - El
Salvador - Earthquake." OCHA provides donors with written confirmation and
pertinent details concerning the utilization of the funds contributed.
19. For coordination purposes, donors are requested to inform OCHA
Geneva, as indicated below, on relief missions/pledges/contributions and
their corresponding values by item.
20. Any future updates on contributions to this disaster may be found by
clicking on Financial Tracking at the top of the page for this disaster on
the OCHA Internet website (http://www.reliefweb.int). Donors are requested
to verify this table and inform OCHA Geneva of
corrections/additions/values.
21. Donors are encouraged to notify OCHA Geneva of their contributions to
this disaster using the OCHA Standardized Contributions Recording Format,
available electronically in the above mentioned Financial Tracking
Website.
22. This Situation Report and further information on ongoing emergencies
are also available on the OCHA website.
=> ACT Alert - Mongolia 1/2001 Blizzards bury areas in Snow and Ice
Action by Churches Together Geneva, 22 January 2001
Since 31 December 2000, violent snowstorms have battered the Inner
Mongolia Autonomous Region. Three days of blizzards that hit northern
China and Mongolia over the New Year have left some parts of the region
buried in snow and ice to a depth of 2 metres. Night temperatures fall to
minus 50 Celsius, 10 - 20 degrees lower than the usual temperature at the
same time of the year. Animals are literally frozen stiff and it is
estimated that well over 500,000 have frozen to death - already twice the
number that died during last year's severe winter. A representative for
the Federation of Red Cross Societies reports that the weather conditions
are so bad that as many as six million head of livestock might be lost.
The weather is exacerbating the already difficult situation of herders on
the steppe who have not recovered from the severe winter of 1999/2000 and
subsequent summer drought which either killed or weakened thousands of
animals. Livestock are the peoples' lifeline as they rely on them for the
necessities of life - they are used or traded for food, clothing,
education and health costs as well as providing fuel (dung) for cooking
and heating during the normally bitterly cold winters
As at 18 January 2001 in Inner Mongolia alone, 27 persons had lost their
lives and thousands are at severe risk due to the bitter cold. Relief
workers are desperately trying to reach remote areas with supplies, but
the deep snow remains and entire towns are blocked. Many herders and
livestock are stranded in the grasslands of Inner Mongolia without much
hope of food, fodder and clothing reaching them. Communication systems
have been damaged in the storms, but official reports reveal that at least
1,639,000 people have been affected along with 22,300,000 livestock and
23,533,000 hectares of grazing and grassland destroyed.
According to meteorological reports, more snowfalls are expected and the
unusually low temperatures could continue to the end of April. Many more
casualties and losses are forecast.
The China Charity Federation has called on people all over the country to
donate what they can and the Red Cross Society of China has appealed to
the International Red Cross Society and the Hong Kong Red Cross Chapter
for in-kind and financial support. The Chinese Ministry of Minorities
Affairs has organised benefit performances to help raise funds.
ACT member in China, the Amity Foundation is contacting local authorities
to ascertain specific needs. According to reports there is an urgent need
for winter clothing, cotton quilts, instant food, fuels for cooking and
heating, medicine, fodder and Type 654 tractors for gaining access in the
snow.
While further information is awaited from Amity Foundation, donors are
requested to indicate possible support in the event of an ACT Appeal being
issued.
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value of StormWarn, and we think you will too.
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http://www.stormwarn.com/index.asp?a=10296
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Info on two new computer viruses Navidad, and Hybris
http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/2000/45/ns-19091.html
ASH CLOUD FROM POPOCATEPETL VOLCANO
Mexico
In this NOAA-14 image, a large ash cloud is visible from an explosive
eruption of Mexico's
Popocatepetl volcano around 22:15 UTC (5:15PM EST).
http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Volcano/Mexico/VSHpopo023_N4.jpg
ASH CLOUD FROM POPOCATEPETL VOLCANO
Mexico
This GOES-8 movie loop shows an ash cloud extending eastward from the
eruption of Popocatepetl
in Mexico. (Click anywhere on the image to start the loop)
http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Volcano/Mexico/VSHpopo023_G8.avi
ASH CLOUD FROM POPOCATEPETL VOLCANO
Mexico
This GOES-8 movie loop shows an ash cloud extending eastward from the
eruption of Popocatepetl
in Mexico. (Click anywhere on the image to start the loop)
{http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Volcano/Mexico/VSHpop023_G8.avi}
http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Volcano/Mexico/VSHpopo023_G8.avi
SNOW COVER OVER THE PLAINS, MIDWEST, AND NORTHEAST STATES
Plains/ Midwest/Northeast US
In this GOES-8 image, snow cover (indicated by the yellow arrows) is visible
over the Plains,
Midwest and Northeast states.
http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Snow/US_Overview/SNWusOVW023_G8.jpg
FIRES IN ARGENTINA
Argentina
Heat signatures (red) and smoke (light blue are visible from fires burning
in Argentina.
http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Fires/Argentina/FSMHSarg023_N4.jpg
FIRES IN FLORIDA AND GEORGIA
Florida and Georgia
Heat signatures (red) and smoke (light blue) are visible from fires burning
in Florida and Georgia.
http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Fires/US_Southeast/FSMHSusSE023_N2.jpg
TROPICAL CYCLONE 06S (CHARLY)
South Indian Ocean
Tropical Cyclone 06S (Charly) was located east of the Mascarene Islands in
the Indian Ocean near
20.8S and 70.2E at 06:00 UTC. Charly has been
moving southwestward at 12 knots with maximum sustained winds estimated at
100 knots, gusts to
125 knots.
http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Tropical/IndOcean/TRCcharly023_MT.jpg
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Feb 04 2001 - 18:34:33 EST
