Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Ghana - Severe rainstorm in Yendi Municipality in Ghana has injured two children and made around 942 homeless with damage to 93 households and two mosques, with the hardest hit in Guntintle and Madina, suburbs of Yendi.

Serbia - Heavy rain and flooding have forced the authorities to declare an emergency situation in the Cacak, Lucani and Arilje municipalities in Serbia. At least 15 people have been evacuated after the River Cemernica broke its banks in Preljine near Cacak. The floods also caused power cuts in some areas in the centre of Cacak.

California - Flash flood watches, high surf conditions, hail, fierce winds, and evacuations leave Californians scrambling for high ground in many areas. Heavy rains, hail and gusty winds rocked much of California on Sunday as a strong late winter storm passed through. Thousands of people lost power throughout the day during the blast, hundreds of others had to be evacuated. In Southern California, the line of thunderstorms continued on into Monday with severe thunderstorm warnings in place for many areas, including Long Beach, Glendale, and Pomona.

Disease

Zika virus infection – United States of America - United States Virgin Islands

On 25 January 2016, the National IHR Focal Point for the United States of America notified PAHO/WHO of the first laboratory-confirmed cases of Zika virus infection in St. Croix, one of the three main islands in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI).

Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus – Lao People’s Democratic Republic

On 17 January 2016, the National IHR Focal Point (NFP) of Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) notified WHO of 2 additional cases of vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (VDPV1). Both cases are from Longsane district, Xaisomboun Province.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Thailand

On 24 January 2016, the National IHR Focal Point of Thailand notified WHO of 1 laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. This is the country’s second case of MERS-CoV infection (see DON published on 10 July 2015).

Bird Flu in Nigeria

Avian Influenza, popularly referred to as bird flu, is now in 18 states in Nigeria and has affected over 2.5 million chickens and is spreading fast.

By the last count, as of yesterday (Thursday), not less than 2.5 million chickens have been infected and over 700 farms have been affected nationwide. From one incidence in one state and moving to two states, it has increased and by now it is in not less than 18 states - according to local health authorities.

Newcastle Disease in the Philippines

The confirmation of an outbreak of the contagious and fatal Newcastle disease (ND) virus in Tarlac has spurred the Department of Agriculture (DA) to urge poultry stakeholders and fighting cock aficionados not to transport their animals to other regions.

Meningitis Outbreak in Ghana

Health authorities in central Ghana have denied that there is a meningitis outbreak in the country's Ashanti region.

The Ashanti regional health directorate claimed that they were only nine people who had tested positive after critical tests were done, according to Citi News.

Reports, however, indicate that at least 32 people have died in the west African country since the outbreak of the disease four weeks ago.

According to Ghana web, more than 100 cases of Pneumococcal Meningitis have been reported in the country's southern region of Brong-Ahafo region.

Disease

Typhoid in Johannesburg, South Africa

The Gauteng Health Department has confirmed four cases of typhoid fever in Johannesburg, which has claimed the life of one person.

Two cases were identified at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, while the other two were picked up at Edenvale Hospital. A 27-year-old Malawian woman died last week Sunday. It’s understood she had travelled to her home country for the holiday period last month - and returned to South Africa through Mozambique.

Meningitis Outbreak in Ghana

Two people have died after being infected with Pneumococcal Meningitis in the Offinso Municipality of the Ashanti region.

A week after the disease killed nine people in the Brong Ahafo region, five others died in Bole in the Northern region.

About 22 people have been confirmed dead out of the 57 reported cases since the beginning of the outbreak of the disease in the Northern and Brong Ahafo Regions.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical cyclone (tc) 01a (Ashobaa), located approximately 157 nm east-northeast of Masirah Island, Oman, is tracking westward at 05 knots

Invest 94E in the eastern Pacific remains an area of disturbed weather which has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Ghana - Flooding in Tema, Ghana has claimed the lives of two people and displaced more than 6,500. A young man was drowned after saving the life of the girl. An old woman who attempted crossing a drain was also swept away by the floods.

India - Over 81,000 people were reeling under the impact of the worsening flood situation in Assam where ten districts have been affected and one person died. At least 192 villages have been affected by the swirling waters in Barpeta, Sonitpur, Dhemaji, Bongaigaon, Lakhimpur, Tinsukia, Darrang, Nalbari, Goalpara and Kamrup (Metro) districts. The worst affected districts were Lakhimpur and Sonipur where more than 30,000 and 21,000 people respectively, have been affected by the deluge.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Cyclone Mahasen was located approximately 562 nm south-southwest of Kolkata, India. Eight people have been reported killed and four others injured due to heavy rainfall caused by Cyclone Mahasen in Andhra Pradesh, India. Cyclone Mahasen is predicted to cross between the Northern Rakhine (Myanmar)and Bangladesh Coasts on evening of 16th May. Flooding caused by Cyclone Mahasen in Sri Lanka has killed two and injured eight others.

Tornado in Hungary

A rare tornado in Hungary has injured at least two persons. The north-eastern regions of Hungary bordering on Romania is reported to be hardest hit by the tornado which damaged dozens of homes and knocked down power lines and trees.

Other News:

A severe storm in Ghana which is currently at the Ghana-Togo border is expected to hit Greater Accra, other parts of Ghana today.

Storms and Floods

Tornado in China - Update

The death toll from yesterday's tornado in Dongguan City, Hunan Province has risen to 8 with at least 136 people injured.

Rainstorm in Walewale, Ghana

A heavy rainstorm in Walewale in Mamprusi district of Ghana has killed four and injured 41 others.

Storms and Floods

Rainstorm in Tamale, Ghana

Rainstorm in Tamale region of Ghana has claimed one life.

Flash floods destroyed at least one hundred houses.

Tropical Cyclone Tim located 130 nm east-northeast of Willis Island, Australia.

Storms and Floods

Cyclone Tim is forming off northern Queensland - Australia's eighth cyclone of the season is likely to form in the Gulf of Carpentaria on Wednesday.

Storm in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Heavy storm in Sao Paulo, the largest city in Brazil bringing floods and landslides which killed two including a 14-year-old girl.

The storm also damaged the shopping continental mall in the Jaguare district but nobody was injured.

Severe Cold Across Europe

Hundreds of drivers have been left stranded after snow brought some roads in Sussex, England to a standstill. Tailbacks of up to 15 miles were reported on the A23 between Crawley and Brighton, with some motorists stuck for up to eight hours. Police said snow and ice had caused hazardous conditions and officers were trying to help gritting lorries through to treat roads.

Heavy snow in north-western Europe is causing severe travel disruption, including the cancellation of hundreds of flights via Frankfurt and Paris.

Heavy storm in Ashanti, Ghana

Heavy storm has affected the people in Kodie, Mpobi, Ahenkro, Ahenkro- Kwamang and Ankaase area of Ghana.

The storm has also damaged the Kodie Junior High School.

Wildfires

Forest fire in Mumbai, India

A huge forest fire has affected the area of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and a part of Film City (Bollywood) in Mumbai.

The fire which started from tribal areas near the forest has not yet destroyed any structure or caused injury.

Wildfire in Florida, USA

Wildfire in Ocala National Forest in Florida. The Park has been closed due to the fire.

Bushfires in Ghana

Persistent bush fires are threatening the shea nut sector which could directly affect the livelihoods of 70 percent of women in the Upper East region of Ghana.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Cyclone Peta

-A cyclone warning is issued in coastal areas from Port Hedland to Dampier, including Karratha.

-Peta brings heavy rain to the Pilbara - Astonishing rainfall in the Pilbara region of Western Australia has doubled the water in one of the state's dams in just 24 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Garry

-The Cook Islands are currently on cyclone alert.

Flooding in Egyam, Ghana

-Recent floods killed a woman and her two grand-children in Egyam in the Ahanta West District of Ghana.

-An eighth months baby was also washed away in Accra.

-Heavy rainstorms destroyed 25 houses and also affected Sekondi-Takoradi.

Disease

Nepal is hit by swine flu outbreak. Physicians confirmed the outbreak after it was detected in blood samples collected in Kathmandu, Chitwan, Sindhuli and Khotang districts.

Deadly cholera outbreak hits Accra, Ghana. 2,756 cases and 31 deaths have been reported.

Drought

The worst drought to hit the United States in a half century expanded in the upper Midwest and northern Plains States in the past week due to warmer and drier-than-normal weather, but loosened its grip on some central and southern areas of the country.

A lack of rain in Ghana's cocoa-growing regions is curbing prospects for the 2012-13 crop harvest as drought is causing budding cocoa pods to wither.

Disease

Legionnaires outbreak in Carmarthen, Wales. Three confirmed cases have been linked to the area. Legionnaires’ disease is contracted by breathing in droplets from contaminated water sources. Symptoms include breathlessness, chest pain and a dry cough, as well as fever, muscle aches, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhoea. Legionnaires’ disease can lead to pneumonia and can be fatal.

Cholera Outbreak: Six dead in the Volta Region, Ghana.

A cumulative total of 18,508 cases including 271 deaths (with a case fatality ratio of 1.5%) has been reported in the ongoing cholera outbreak in Sierra Leone since the beginning of the year.

46 cases of Ebola haemorrhagic fever (EHF) have now been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Disease

Anthrax outbreak in Ghana. Two people have died after eating the infected meat of a cow. The government vaccination program has been halted causing concern for the health of both cattle and humans.

Bushfires

Bushfires in Ghana, set deliberately by hunters, destroy farms and crops across 11 communities.