Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Mississippi, USA - A severe storm system in parts of the South and Midwest United States claimed the lives of at least six people on Wednesday, bringing several tornadoes to Indiana, Illinois, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Paraguay - Flooding caused by heavy rains has forced the evacuation of more than 70,000 people in Paraguay. Authorities say the Paraguay River rose to nearly 24 feet (7.2 meters) Wednesday after weeks of torrential rains. That's near its highest level of 1983, when it reached 25.3 feet (7.72 meters). About 72,000 people have been forced out of their homes in the Paraguayan capital. But many more are expected to be affected nationwide by the swelling of the Parana and other rivers. Communities living in low-lying slums are especially at risk. Most are seeking shelter in camps on higher ground, where they're sleeping in improvised tents.

Cumbria, UK - Cumbria face their Christmas being ruined by flood waters as yet another storm, Storm Eva is predicted to hit Britain with rain and winds up to 70mph.

Disease

Brazil City Fights Dengue Fever

Health authorities in the Brazilian city of Campo Grande, in the southern state of Mato Grosso do Sul, are fighting a dengue fever epidemic. About 600 residents a day have reported suffering from the symptoms of the fever since the beginning of the year. Heavy rains have increased the risk of reproduction of the mosquito which transmits the disease. Hundreds of workers have been hired to clear the streets of standing water, where the mosquitoes breed.

In Paraguay, across the border from Mato Grosso do Sul, eight people have died from the fever and more than 8,500 suspected cases have been reported. There, the army and the police have been deployed to help clear potential mosquito breeding grounds. Global incidence of dengue has grown dramatically, about half of the world's population is now at risk.

More U.S. States Reporting High Flu Levels

Thirty states are now reporting high levels of flu-like illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storm Miriam has formed over the eastern Pacific, but it remains well offshore and does not pose a threat to land.

A severe weather watch is in place for much of England as ex Hurricane, now extra tropical storm Nadine edges closer to the UK. It's not Nadine that is affecting the UK directly, she has spawned a very deep secondary low pressure system.

Public storm warning signals were hoisted over six provinces in the Philippines on Saturday as Tropical Storm “Lawin” (international name: Jelawat) intensified slightly as it moved slowly over the Philippine Sea.

The flood situation in the Assam, India worsened further on Saturday as heavy showers continued in Arunachal Pradesh. A population of nearly five lakh (500 000) in 14 districts has been hit.

A fierce storm, described as an extra-tropical cyclone, ripped across South America Wednesday. The storm, packing 140-kilometre (87-mile) an hour winds tore across the heart of South America on Wednesday, killing five people in Paraguay and wreaking havoc in Argentina and Uruguay and Bolivia.