America is facing its worst summer drought since the Dust Bowl years of the Great Depression. Or perhaps worse still.
From the mountains and desert of the West, now into an eighth consecutive dry year, to the wheat farms of Alabama, where crops are failing because of rainfall levels 12 inches lower than usual, to the vast soupy expanse of Lake Okeechobee in southern Florida, which has become so dry it actually caught fire a couple of weeks ago, a continent is crying out for water.
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Millions of people are suffering and at least 23 have been reported dead as violent rainstorms plague nearly half of the provinces in China.
Relentless rainfall is now in its fourth successive day in central Hunan Province, affecting more than one million people in 11 cities and counties, sources with the provincial government said at a flood control meeting on Saturday.
The rain has left three people dead, one missing and 158,000 homeless, the Ministry of Civil Affairs reported on Friday.
Relentless rainfall is now in its fourth successive day in central Hunan Province, affecting more than one million people in 11 cities and counties, sources with the provincial government said at a flood control meeting on Saturday.
The rain has left three people dead, one missing and 158,000 homeless, the Ministry of Civil Affairs reported on Friday.
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| ©Xinhua |
| A motorcyclist wades through waist-deep flood waters in Yongzhou, Central China's Hunan Province June 8, 2007. Floods, triggered by heavy rains, ravaged the city. |
Three people were killed in central Switzerland after they were caught in flash floods overnight caused by heavy thunderstorms, police said Saturday.
A couple died in the small town of Huttwil after they were swept away by a small river which turned into a raging torrent during the storms late Friday, police in the canton of Bern said at a press conference.
A couple died in the small town of Huttwil after they were swept away by a small river which turned into a raging torrent during the storms late Friday, police in the canton of Bern said at a press conference.
About 6,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes in the NSW Hunter Valley amid fears that flood waters could swamp the town of Maitland.
Police were on Sunday night warning local residents to get out as the Hunter River began to reach its peak, although some locals were resisting efforts to have them leave.
Police were on Sunday night warning local residents to get out as the Hunter River began to reach its peak, although some locals were resisting efforts to have them leave.
Flash floods caused by cyclone Gonu have killed 12 people, injured nine, and trapped 40,000 others in southeastern Iran, news reports said Saturday.
"Based on the latest information gathered, 12 people were killed as the result of floods in Hormozgan and Sistan-Baluchestan provinces," the head of Iran's emergency services, Farzad Panahi, was quoted as saying by the semi official Mehr news agency.
"Based on the latest information gathered, 12 people were killed as the result of floods in Hormozgan and Sistan-Baluchestan provinces," the head of Iran's emergency services, Farzad Panahi, was quoted as saying by the semi official Mehr news agency.
Floods in Yakutia's village of Ytyk-Kyuel recede, but 543 houses remain flooded, an official of the republic's Emergencies Ministry department told Itar-Tass on Sunday.
The level of water in the Yakutian Tatta River decreased by 8 centimetres.
"Blasting works of June 8 deepened and enlarged the riverbed for floods to ease," the source said.
On May 18, around 895 houses, administrative buildings and power supply lines were flooded. Floods destroyed bridges and dams. Rescue workers evacuated 3,000 local residents.
The level of water in the Yakutian Tatta River decreased by 8 centimetres.
"Blasting works of June 8 deepened and enlarged the riverbed for floods to ease," the source said.
On May 18, around 895 houses, administrative buildings and power supply lines were flooded. Floods destroyed bridges and dams. Rescue workers evacuated 3,000 local residents.
At least nine people have been killed by heavy storms that are continuing to lash eastern Australia, officials say.
Gale-force winds and rising flood waters have forced the evacuation of thousands of people in New South Wales.
More than 130,000 homes remain without electricity around Newcastle and in Sydney.
Gale-force winds and rising flood waters have forced the evacuation of thousands of people in New South Wales.
More than 130,000 homes remain without electricity around Newcastle and in Sydney.
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| ©AFP/Torsten Blackwood |
| A helicopter lowers salvage equipment to the 'Pasha Bulker' which ran aground in wild seas near Newcastle. Rescue workers are urging thousands of people to evacuate their homes after deadly storms lashed Australia's east coast. |
Rain storms and floods have killed at least 23 people across southern China in recent days and made thousands homeless, Xinhua news agency said on Saturday.
"Millions of people are suffering," it said.
Storms killed seven people and left four missing in the southern province of Guizhou on Friday and Saturday. Nearly 20,000 hectares (77 sq miles) of cropland were flooded and 3,000 houses destroyed, Xinhua said.
"Millions of people are suffering," it said.
Storms killed seven people and left four missing in the southern province of Guizhou on Friday and Saturday. Nearly 20,000 hectares (77 sq miles) of cropland were flooded and 3,000 houses destroyed, Xinhua said.
Cleanup crews assembled Friday to salvage remnants of a northern Wisconsin resort demolished by one of at least five tornadoes that swept across the state.
Severe thunderstorms spawned tornadoes, produced baseball-size hail and dropped more than 6 inches of rain Thursday across the Upper Midwest, killing a swimmer in Illinois. In Wisconsin, at least two people went to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Severe thunderstorms spawned tornadoes, produced baseball-size hail and dropped more than 6 inches of rain Thursday across the Upper Midwest, killing a swimmer in Illinois. In Wisconsin, at least two people went to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
