Around 1,300 people have died as freezing weather continues to cause havoc in Afghanistan with heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures hitting 17 of the country's 34 provinces, local authorities said Wednesday.
This winter is the coldest in the last 30 years in war-torn Afghanistan, with temperatures reaching lows of -30 degrees Centigrade (-22 Fahrenheit). Some northern regions have been without food and medical supplies for over two months.
On February 20, the death toll since the cold struck in December had risen to over 1,100 with around 200 dying in the past week and hundreds losing their limbs from severe frostbite, the country's Ministry for Emergency Situations said.
More than half of the casualties have been reported in the western province of Heart, but with so many regions cut off it is hard to get a true picture of the devastation.
Earth Changes
Water supplies resumed on Wednesday to almost 200,000 people along the three tributaries of Hanjiang river affected by an algae bloom, local authorities of central China's Hubei Province said.
The algae bloom had turned the water red since Sunday, forcing authorities to cut supplies to nearby residents and eight schools.
The algae bloom had turned the water red since Sunday, forcing authorities to cut supplies to nearby residents and eight schools.
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Billings, Mont. - Pesticides, heavy metals and other airborne contaminants are raining down on national parks across the West and Alaska, turning up at sometimes dangerously high levels in lakes, plants and fish.
A sweeping, six-year federal study released Tuesday found evidence of 70 contaminants in 20 national parks and monuments - from Denali in Alaska and Glacier in Montana, to Big Bend in Texas and Yosemite in California.
A sweeping, six-year federal study released Tuesday found evidence of 70 contaminants in 20 national parks and monuments - from Denali in Alaska and Glacier in Montana, to Big Bend in Texas and Yosemite in California.
A moderate earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale has jolted the city of Hejdakin in the southeastern Iranian province of Kerman.
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LONDON - An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.2 shook parts of Britain on Wednesday but officials said there were no reports of anyone being killed or serious damage.
The quake struck about an hour after midnight and many people in the capital London and other areas said they had been woken up by the tremors. Quakes are uncommon in Britain and Wednesday's was the strongest for nearly quarter of a century.
The quake struck about an hour after midnight and many people in the capital London and other areas said they had been woken up by the tremors. Quakes are uncommon in Britain and Wednesday's was the strongest for nearly quarter of a century.
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A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck a group of Japanese islands south of Tokyo at 4:54 p.m. local time, the U.S. Geological Survey said on its Web site.
The quake hit near the island of Iwoto, formerly known as Iwo Jima, 1,005 kilometers (603 miles) south of Tokyo and was 14 kilometers deep, the USGS said. The magnitude was initially put at 6.6.
The quake hit near the island of Iwoto, formerly known as Iwo Jima, 1,005 kilometers (603 miles) south of Tokyo and was 14 kilometers deep, the USGS said. The magnitude was initially put at 6.6.
Denver, Colorado - An earthquake briefly rattled the small town of Lake George Tuesday afternoon.
Each day about 100 million people are being poisoned with one of the deadliest substances known. In India and Bangladesh, China and Southeast Asia, even in countries such as Australia, the silent tragedy of arsenic poisoning continues to unfold.
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| A Kolkata woman displays her wrinkled hands, caused by drinking arsenic-contaminated water. |
Snow cover over North America and much of Siberia, Mongolia and China is greater than at any time since 1966.
The U.S. National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) reported that many American cities and towns suffered record cold temperatures in January and early February. According to the NCDC, the average temperature in January "was -0.3 F cooler than the 1901-2000 (20th century) average."
The U.S. National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) reported that many American cities and towns suffered record cold temperatures in January and early February. According to the NCDC, the average temperature in January "was -0.3 F cooler than the 1901-2000 (20th century) average."
The biggest earthquake for nearly 25 years has been felt across large parts of England.
People from as far afield as London, Newcastle, Birmingham, Manchester, East Anglia and Yorkshire felt the tremor.
It struck just before 0100 GMT and lasted for nearly 10 seconds but it is unclear if it has caused any damage.
The British Geological Survey (BGS) said it believed the quake was of the magnitude of 5.3 and said the epicentre was in Market Rasen in Lincolnshire.
People from as far afield as London, Newcastle, Birmingham, Manchester, East Anglia and Yorkshire felt the tremor.
It struck just before 0100 GMT and lasted for nearly 10 seconds but it is unclear if it has caused any damage.
The British Geological Survey (BGS) said it believed the quake was of the magnitude of 5.3 and said the epicentre was in Market Rasen in Lincolnshire.
