Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical cyclone 11p (Winston), located approximately 303 nm south-west of Suva, Fiji, is tracking south-southeastward at 09 knots.

NewsBytes:

Israel - Following a week of unusually mild weather, winter returned to Israel this weekend as a large rainstorm struck from the north to the south, causing floods in the desert and dropping snow on the mountains in yet another round of apocalyptic weather in the Middle East. The Sea of Galilee, which is at a near-constant risk of depletion, fortuitously rose by 1.5 centimetres. In the southern Negev region, heavy rain has caused dangerous flash floods, washing out roads and stranding those unlucky enough to be caught in the storm.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Ireland - Storm Jonas, which is responsible for at least 19 deaths in the US, will make its way to Ireland in the coming days prompting a flood warning from the Irish Met Office. Significant downpours are expected tomorrow, with heavy rain in all areas at times. That rainfall is expected to continue into tomorrow night and Wednesday morning.

Israel - Monday rainfall raised the level of the Sea of Galilee and shut desert roads over flash-flood fears as the nation braced for a chill night that blanketed many elevated areas in snow.

Thailand - Storms have hit the Southern islands including two popular tourist destinations – Kho Samui and Koh Phangan – causing floods and suspension of ferry services between Surat Thani and Koh Samui.

Disease

Swine Flu Outbreak in Israel

One woman has died of swine flu and another ten people have been hospitalized with the disease. Four of them are on artificial respiration.

The Health Ministry added that some of the sick have other conditions which make them more susceptible to flu complications. These include heart disease, diabetes, Down’s Syndrome and pregnancy.

Disease

Foot and Mouth Disease on West Bank - Israel

The Israeli Ministry of Agriculture reported preliminary finding of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in sheep in the West Bank.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Cyclone (tc) 04a (four), located approximately 489 nm southeast of Masirah Island, is tracking northwestward at 05 knots.

NewsBytes:

Somalia - Flash floods in Somalia have destroyed thousands of makeshift homes, as well as latrines and shallow wells, the United Nations said, predicting that up to 900,000 people could be hit by the strongest El Niño weather phenomenon in decades. The floods, which have made roads impassable and cut thousands off from aid, could reverse many of the humanitarian gains made in southern Somalia since 2011 when the Horn of Africa nation was devastated by famine. Some 3.2 million Somalis - one-third of the population - already needed life-saving aid and over one million were internally displaced before the rains began on Oct. 7.

Israel - Residents of Herzliya, Ra’anana and Kfar Saba in central Israel faced heavy floods Wednesday as a brief but intense winter storm swept the area, closing major roads and flooding whole neighbourhoods. Three days after a storm knocked out power for tens of thousands of Israeli homes, Wednesday’s downpour left some 15,000 households in the dark for the second time in less than a week.

Environment

Heat Wave in Israel

Forecasters say high humidity levels to intensify heat; Jordan Valley gears up for temperatures up to 48º. A punishing heat wave wracking Israel was set to peak on Sunday, with temperatures projected to rise above 40°C (104°F) in some areas.

In the southern resort city of Eilat, vacationers were expected to brave a sweltering 46ºC (115ºF), while cities and towns in the Jordan Valley will endure a combination of high humidity and blazing heat, with temperatures up to 48ºC (118ºF). In Tiberias, temperatures are expected to climb to 45°C (113ºF). But with 35 percent humidity in the afternoon hours, it will feel more like 58° (136ºF). Meanwhile, at the Dead Sea, the 44ºC weather (111º F) will feel more like 48°C (119ºF) when factoring in humidity. Tel Aviv’s relatively benign 35°C (95ºF) will feel more like 45°C (113ºF), given a whopping 60% humidity rate. Elsewhere in Israel, temperatures were predicted to climb to 42ºC (108º F) in Beersheba, 39ºC (102º F) on the Golan Heights and 35ºC (95º F) in Haifa.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Israel

An extensive forest fire which broke out Friday afternoon in the Beit Shemesh area poses threat to the communities of Tarum, Ta'oz and Kfar Uriya. The forest fire in Ya'ar Ha'Nasi ("President's Forest") grew at a tremendous rate due to strong winds.

A dozen firefighting planes and 40 ground crews are struggling to control the blaze. Surrounding roads have been closed.

Wildfires - Croatia

Hundreds of Croatian firefighters struggled Friday to contain raging wildfires on the Adriatic coast and islands at the height of tourist season.

Two huge fires have swept through the Peljesac peninsula this week, forcing evacuation of villages and destroying large areas of olive groves, pine forests and vineyards.

The blaze has occasionally cut off the main road and power supplies since it erupted early this week. Hot winds, often changing directions, have hindered efforts to contain the wildfires.

Winds on Friday reignited some of the blazes that firefighters had managed to curb after an all-night battle, authorities said. Fires also have swept through the islands of Korcula and Brac and on several other spots amid extremely high summer temperatures.

Wildfires

Forest Fire in Israel

A new forest fire has broke out near Kfar Uriya located near Beit Shemesh, Israel, Jerusalem Post mentions. Around 200 people have been evacuated. About twenty firefighting crews are struggling to control the blaze.

At least two hikers were injured in the forest fire in Ben Shemen, near Modiin yesterday. They were immediately dispatched to Asaf Harofeh Hospital with minor burns.

A heat wave has caused several forest fire incidents across Israel.

Disease

Europe money crisis leads to poor health

Harsh spending cuts by debt-crippled European governments are also being partly blamed for outbreaks of diseases not normally seen in Europe and a spike in suicides, new research shows.

Since the crisis struck in 2008, state-run welfare and health services across Europe have seen their budgets cut, medical treatments rationed and unpopular measures such as hospital user fees introduced.

Those countries that have slashed public spending the hardest - Greece, Spain and Portugal - have fared the worst medically.

"Austerity measures haven't solved the economic problems and they have also created big health problems," said Martin McKee, a professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who led the research.

He said worsening health was driven not just by unemployment, but by the lack of a welfare system to fall back on.

"People need to have hope that the government will help them through this difficult time," he said.

The paper was published online on Wednesday in a special series of the journal Lancet.

McKee said Greece in particular was struggling.

Based on government data, he and colleagues found suicides rose by 40 per cent in 2011 compared to the previous year.

Last year, the country also reported an exponential rise in the number of HIV cases among drug users, due in part to addicts sharing contaminated syringes after needle exchange programs were dropped.

In recent years, Greece has also battled outbreaks of malaria, West Nile virus and dengue fever.

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Novel Coronavirus Infection - Update

The Robert Koch Institute has informed WHO of a new confirmed case of infection with the novel coronavirus (nCoV). The patient was a 73-year-old male from United Arab Emirates.

To date, WHO has been informed of a global total of 17 confirmed cases of human infection with nCoV, including 11 deaths.

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Newcastle Disease Outbreak in Israel

The Israeli veterinary authorities have reported an outbreak of Newcastle disease at a breeding farm in Hazafon.

Out of a total of 10680 susceptible birds, 30 deaths were reported. The remaining 10650 birds were destroyed.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Cyclone Narelle forms in the Southern Indian Ocean north-northeast of Learmonth, Australia. It is expected to move along the northwestern Australia coast with the potential to make landfall.

Flash Floods in Palestine and Israel

Two killed in flash floods in West Bank of Jenin, Palestine.

Two Palestinian women bodies were swept away by surging waters.

Storms have also cut electricity in thousands of home across Gaza.

It is beleived to be the fiercest storm to hit the area in a decade.

Heavy snowfall blocked all streets in Jordan's capital, Amman.

Yesterday stormy weather in Israel injured 10 people.

Floods in Tel Aviv closed a major highway and stopped trains.

Avalanche on Vancouver Island, Canada

An avalanche on Vancouver Island injured 18-year-old skier. Four other skiers were rescued immediately.

The avalanche occurred near Moat and Circlet Lakes in the backcountry of Strathcona Provincial Park, outside the boundaries of Mount Washington Ski Resort.

The Metro Vancouver area has predicted to get at least 30 mm of rain by early today (Wednesday).

A travel advisory has been issued for the Coquihalla Highway.

A further high avalanche warning is issued for the North, the Columbia, Monashee and Selkirks region and the South Columbia region.

Storms and Floods

Flooding in Lebanon

Three killed and 55 others reported to be injured in flood disaster in Lebanon.

Rare storm and heavy rainfall blocked roads from the mountains to Beirut and other coastal areas of Lebanon.

Powerful winds at 100 km/hour cause damage along the coastal highway between Sidon and the rest of south Lebanon.

It is believed to be the strongest storms in the last 25 years.

Hundreds of people are trapped in their cars in Beirut, Karantina region of Lebanon.

Lebanon education ministry has announced the closure of all public and private schools on Tuesday (today) and Wednesday.

Israel has also been hit by flooding and forecasters predict the heavy rain will continue for another 48 hours.

Tropical Storm Sonamu is expected to hit Kuantan, Pekan and Rompin in Pahang, Malaysia today and tomorrow. Downpours will coincide with high tide and many areas are likely to be flooded.

Storms and Floods

Avalanche in Alps, Italy

-Two Italian skiers killed in avalanche in Alps.

-The avalanche disaster occurred near the town of Moeno in the Val di Fiemme, a valley in the South Tyrol area.

Flooding in Netanya, Israel

-Flooding in Netanya, Israel closed down the Tel Aviv-Haifa railway line. Israel's Train Services halted trains from traveling between Haifa and Tel Aviv.

-Seven people were rescued from floods at Herzliya railway station by local fireman.

-Storms damaged power lines and cut power in Ramat Gan area.

-Snow is forecast to fall on Mount Hermon, and more rain is expected to fall as far south as the Sharon.

Flooding in South Sulawesi, Indonesia

-At least five people killed due to flooding disaster in the Indonesian province of South Sulawesi.

-Victims were swept away by floodwaters in the South Sulawesi regencies of Gowa, Jeneponto and Pangkep.

-Flooding and landslides also disrupted travel along highways, including the Maros-Bone route.

-Following National Search and Rescue Agency, floods caused damages to thousands of houses and public facilities.

Flooding in Rukungiri, Uganda

-Floods displaced 500 people in Rwenshama fishing village in Bwambara sub-county, Rukungiri district of Uganda.

-Displaced people are currently living at Rwenshama Primary School and Rwenshama Health Centre.

Flooding in South Cotabato, Philippines

-Overflow of river caused flooding in Esperanza, Poblacion, Lapuz, Liberty, San Jose, Simsiman and Matapol villages of Cotabato, Philippines.

-Floods caused damage to agriculture and to a bridge and other properties in Norala town in South Cotabato.

-More flash floods and landslides is forecast in parts of Mindanao due to rain from a low-pressure area.

Unusual Cold in Kathmandu

-Mercury has fallen below zero in capital Kathmandu of Nepal for first time in five years. Following Nepal Meteorological officials, the minimum temperature today morning was recorded -0.2 degree Celsius in Kathmandu.

Disease

Four new outbreaks of Newcastle disease were reported in Israel in the first week of December and resulted in the deaths of 5,700 birds, 4,400 were destroyed and 197,000 were slaughtered.

An outbreak of Bovine Johne's Disease (BJD) on a Queensland [Australia] stud farm has the farmer facing the prospect of slaughtering all of his 2 700 stud cattle. Some fear the outbreak could collectively cost Queensland cattle breeders tens of millions of dollars.

Environment

The Dead Sea is slowly dying as industrial and agricultural extraction of water causes the lake to shrink at record rate over the last year.

NASA satellite images illustrating the decline of the Dead Sea over the past 40 years:

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The week's hottest temperature was 121.1 degrees Fahrenheit (49.5 degrees Celsius) at Kaedi, Mauritania.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 79.6 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 62.0 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Vostok Antarctic research station.

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Every rainy season, the Guna people living on the Panamanian white sand archipelago of San Blas brace themselves for waves gushing into their tiny mud-floor huts.

Rising ocean levels caused by global warming and decades of coral reef destruction have combined with seasonal rains to submerge the Caribbean islands for days on end.

Once rare, flooding is now so menacing that the Guna have agreed to abandon ancestral lands for an area within their semi-autonomous territory on the east coast of the mainland.