Environment

Deep Freeze in China

China is experiencing unusual cold this winter with the national average temperature hitting the lowest in 28 years. Snow and ice have closed highways, cancelled flights, stranded tourists and knocked out power in several provinces.

The China Meteorological Administration attributes plunging temperatures partly to southward-moving polar cold fronts, caused by melting polar ice from global warming. It said the air was moist and likely to dump heavy snow in China, Europe and North America.

The national average temperature was -3.8° C since late November 2012, the coldest in nearly three decades. The average in northeastern China dipped to -15.3°C, the coldest in 43 years, and dropped to a 42-year low of -7.4°C in northern China.

In some areas — northeastern China, eastern Inner Mongolia, and the northern part of far-western Xinjiang province — the low has hit -40° C.

The state-run, English-language China Daily reported on Friday that about 1,000 ships were stuck in ice in Laizhou Bay in eastern China's Bohai Sea.

The cold spell has killed about 180,000 head of livestock, affecting some 770,000 people across Inner Mongolia since late December.

Storms and Floods

Russia’s Coldest Winter Since 1938

Russia is enduring its harshest winter in over 70 years, with temperatures plunging as low as -50 degrees Celsius. Dozens of people have already died, and almost 150 have been hospitalized, with temperatures 10 to 15 degrees lower than the seasonal norm all over Russia. The cold spell, along with snowfalls, has disrupted flights all over the country, and led to huge traffic jams. In the southern city of Rostov-on-Don some highways were closed due to snowfalls over the past two days, triggering a traffic collapse. Over the weekend, meteorologists predict temperatures will plunge even lower in the Moscow region, hitting -25.

Flooding in UK

At least six regions across the UK are still under a flood alert as more heavy rain swells already flooded rivers.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Cyclone Evan has left a swathe of destruction across Fiji, destroying homes, flooding rivers and stranding thousands of tourists. The storm hammered the Pacific nation for more than 12 hours. Despite the damage, officials reported no fatalities as the storm headed out to sea on Tuesday morning

 

Flash floods and landslides have killed at least nine people and left thousands homeless in Sri Lanka.

Hailstorm in Uganda

-Hailstorm killed seven and destroyed landing sites on Lake Albert in Uganda.

-One hour long storm destroyed over 30 houses at Nsonga landing site.

-The storm also badly hit Kyabasambu, Nsunzu and Senjojo landing sites.

-The storm destroyed several churches and clinics. Following local fishermen, the heavy downpour also destroyed 26 boats.

Cold has killed 37 people in Ukraine so far this month as temperatures reached minus 23 Celsius in parts of the former Soviet Republic. Night temperatures are expected to drop to -28 C in northern, central and eastern Ukraine this week. The cold snap followed heavy snowfall which left some areas covered with as much as 53 cm (21 inches) of snow.