Earth Changes
MEYERS, California - A wind-whipped forest fire in the popular resort area of Lake Tahoe destroyed 50 homes Sunday and threatened 500 others, a U.S. Forest Service official said. No injuries were reported.
At least four people died, two were missing and over 20,000 displaced due to landslides and floods triggered by torrential rain in Yichang city in central China's Hubei Province. Incessant rains have hit Yichang, southern Hubei, since June 17.
By Saturday, the area had reported 167 millimetres of rain, a local official said. Around 450,000 people in 71 townships have been affected and nearly 8,000 houses have been damaged or even destroyed, Xinhua news agency reported, adding that rural roads, bridges and dams have been hit. Over 1,16,127 acres of farmland has also been affected.
By Saturday, the area had reported 167 millimetres of rain, a local official said. Around 450,000 people in 71 townships have been affected and nearly 8,000 houses have been damaged or even destroyed, Xinhua news agency reported, adding that rural roads, bridges and dams have been hit. Over 1,16,127 acres of farmland has also been affected.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Saturday declared a state of emergency in Kings County due to drought conditions.
The Kings County Board of Supervisors has asked for emergency status, citing low water tables, limited precipitation and reporting at least $1.2 million in crop damages due to drought conditions.
On May 9, Kings County received a drought designation from the United States Department of Agriculture.
The Kings County Board of Supervisors has asked for emergency status, citing low water tables, limited precipitation and reporting at least $1.2 million in crop damages due to drought conditions.
On May 9, Kings County received a drought designation from the United States Department of Agriculture.
New Orleans is still at risk of serious flooding two years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city, a government report has found. While the levees and floodwalls that collapsed under Katrina's storm surge have been repaired, authorities have not yet raised the height of levees that were overtopped by the floodwaters.
That means that the risk of flooding in many neighborhoods remains virtually unchanged, said a report prepared by the US Army Corps of Engineers, the federal agency that oversees the country's flood control projects.
That means that the risk of flooding in many neighborhoods remains virtually unchanged, said a report prepared by the US Army Corps of Engineers, the federal agency that oversees the country's flood control projects.
An outbreak of distemper has been killing seal pups off the coast of Denmark, authorities said Saturday, warning that thousands of seals could die if the disease spreads to other northern European countries.
Since Tuesday, at least 41 harbor seal pups have been found dead on the small island of Anholt, midway between Denmark and Sweden, and tests indicate distemper, according to The Danish Forest and Nature Agency. The government agency normally finds around 30 dead seals a year.
"There is therefore reason to fear that we will see a large number of dead seals on Danish beaches in coming months," said Henrik Lykke Soerensen, an agency spokesman.
The agency said it would kill dying seals found on the shores of the island to try to prevent the spread of the disease, which does not affect humans.
The disease causes respiratory problems, fever and sometimes disorientation, while leaving the animal's immune system weakened and susceptible to other diseases, such as pneumonia.
Lykke Soerensen said it was still unclear which strain of virus authorities were dealing with, but that the agency was expecting to identify it in the next few days.
Since Tuesday, at least 41 harbor seal pups have been found dead on the small island of Anholt, midway between Denmark and Sweden, and tests indicate distemper, according to The Danish Forest and Nature Agency. The government agency normally finds around 30 dead seals a year.
"There is therefore reason to fear that we will see a large number of dead seals on Danish beaches in coming months," said Henrik Lykke Soerensen, an agency spokesman.
The agency said it would kill dying seals found on the shores of the island to try to prevent the spread of the disease, which does not affect humans.
The disease causes respiratory problems, fever and sometimes disorientation, while leaving the animal's immune system weakened and susceptible to other diseases, such as pneumonia.
Lykke Soerensen said it was still unclear which strain of virus authorities were dealing with, but that the agency was expecting to identify it in the next few days.
Dozens of people turned for medical aid and another twenty-seven were hospitalized after receiving a thermal shock in the Bulgarian capital Sofia Saturday, as temperatures in many places in this country struck record highs.
Saturday became the hottest day over the past 100 years here, with temperatures climbing to over 40 degrees Celsius in Sofia, Blagoevgrad, Plovdiv, Veliko Tyrnovo, Varna and Vidin.
Saturday became the hottest day over the past 100 years here, with temperatures climbing to over 40 degrees Celsius in Sofia, Blagoevgrad, Plovdiv, Veliko Tyrnovo, Varna and Vidin.
More than 220 people have been killed after heavy wind and rain wreaked havoc in Pakistan.
Storms had battered Karachi, the country's biggest city, for three hours.
Officials had set the death toll at 43.
But Health Minister of Sindh Sardar Ahmed said welfare organisation Edhi Trust had received bodies of another 185 people killed in rain-related accidents.
"Now the total number of those killed because of rain is 228," he said.
"These deaths are caused by electrocution, falling trees, house collapses and road accidents."
Edhi Trust spokesman Anwar Kazmi said most deaths had taken place in the low-lying areas of the sprawling city.
Storms had battered Karachi, the country's biggest city, for three hours.
Officials had set the death toll at 43.
But Health Minister of Sindh Sardar Ahmed said welfare organisation Edhi Trust had received bodies of another 185 people killed in rain-related accidents.
"Now the total number of those killed because of rain is 228," he said.
"These deaths are caused by electrocution, falling trees, house collapses and road accidents."
Edhi Trust spokesman Anwar Kazmi said most deaths had taken place in the low-lying areas of the sprawling city.
An Alaskan wildfire ignited by an errant spark from a power tool has spread to 50,000 acres and burned at least 70 structures in a popular recreation area, officials said on Saturday.
Hyderabad: Blinding rain and a ferocious storm have killed at least 32 people in Andhra Pradesh since yesterday morning, most of them in Kurnool where flood waters also entered ancient temples.
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| ©AFP |
| Villagers being rescued from Alampur in Kurnool district on Saturday. |
New Delhi officials are considering the import of thousands of mosquito-eating frogs to prevent an outbreak of dengue fever.
Severe water pollution has decimated the city's once thriving frog population that fed on mosquito larvae, curbing the spread of dengue, malaria and encephalitis, The Times of London said.
Severe water pollution has decimated the city's once thriving frog population that fed on mosquito larvae, curbing the spread of dengue, malaria and encephalitis, The Times of London said.
