The global cost of disasters is growing: The economic burden of disasters is intensifying. While the direct costs of disasters averaged $70–80 billion a year between 1970 and 2000, between 2001 and 2020 these annual costs grew significantly to $180–200 billion. But the real cost is far higher. Disaster costs …
Cyprus, facing its worst drought in a decade, will start importing water from Greece within the next two months, Agriculture Minister Michalis Polinikis said on Monday. Reservoirs are dangerously low and the crisis has forced emergency water rationing and sped up plans by Cyprus to desalinate more seawater. Its two …
Droughts in Cyprus have forced government officials to ship in water from Greece to help ease the crisis. Minister signed a deal on Monday with shipping firm Ocean Tankers Holdings to transport drinking water to the island. Eight million cubic metres of water is set to be shipped to Cyprus …
For the first time, the meteorological department will give probability estimates of drought and excess rainfall for the country as part of its much-awaited April forecast of the southwest monsoon. The department will continue to stick to a new technique it used last year for forecasting the monsoon though it …
In the chronically drought-hit Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh where natural rainfall over the past four years has been scarce, causing a severe drinking water and agrarian crisis, creating artificial rain through cloud seeding with the help of small airplanes is being seen as a viable alternative to obviate the …
DENILIQUIN, Australia: Lindsay Renwick, the mayor of this dusty southern Australian town, remembers the constant whir of the rice mill. "It was our little heartbeat out there, tickety-tick-tickety," he said, imitating the giant fans that dried the rice, "and now it has stopped." The Deniliquin mill, the largest rice mill …
Lindsay Renwick, the mayor of this dusty southern Australian town, remembers the constant whir of the rice mill. "It was our little heartbeat out there, ticketytick-tickety," he said, imitating the giant fans that dried the rice, "and now it has stopped." The Deniliquin mill, the largest rice mill in the …
The collapse of Australia's rice production is one of several factors contributing to a doubling of rice prices in the last three months - increases that have led the world's largest exporters to restrict exports severely, spurred panicked hoarding in Hong Kong and the Philippines, and set off protests in …
Lindsay Renwick, the mayor of this dusty southern Australian town, remembers the constant whir of the rice mill. "It was our little heartbeat out there, tickety-tick-tickety,' he said, imitating the giant fans that dried the rice, "and now it has stopped.' Has the increase in food prices caused you to …
China's '08 Wheat Harvest Seen Ample Despite Drought CHINA: April 15, 2008 BEIJING - China will have an ample harvest of winter wheat in 2008 as higher yields and increased acreage offset the impact of severe drought, industry officials said on Monday. The winter wheat output will grow 1.3 percent …
Enlarge view FAO predicts that foodgrain prices will rise for another 10 years. For most cereals supplies are much tighter than in recent years, while demand is rising for food as well as feed and industrial use. Stocks, which were already low at the start of the season, are likely …
China Drought Leaves 670,000 Without Drinking Water CHINA: April 14, 2008 BEIJING - A drought in China's northeast Liaoning province has left nearly 700,000 people without drinking water after rainfall in the first three months of 2008 tumbled to one-fifth levels last year, the Xinhua agency said on Sunday. The …
Floods And Drought To Rise Due To Climate Change HUNGARY: April 10, 2008 BUDAPEST - Flooding in temperate regions and the tropics and droughts in arid regions are likely to increase over the course of the century due to climate change, according to a study released on Wednesday. The study …
We examine the predominant natural hazards in West Bengal, along with an analysis of the prevalent disaster mitigation and management perspectives. Pre-hazard activities towards its mitigation are emphasized and explicated. In cognizance with the existence of multiple hazards in the region, a composite vulnerability map is prepared through integration of …
Fires Main Threat To Amazon In Drier Climate - Study NORWAY: April 8, 2008 OSLO - Fires set by people will be the biggest threat to the Amazon rainforest in coming decades linked to a drier climate caused by global warming, researchers said on Monday. They said swathes of the …
Spanish Region May Ship Water To Relieve Drought SPAIN: April 7, 2008 MADRID - Spain's northeast Catalonia region will need to import water by ship and train from May to ensure domestic supplies if the current drought persists, the regional government said in a report. The report, sent to Reuters …
Drought Grows Slightly In Eastern Australian Farmlands AUSTRALIA: April 7, 2008 SYDNEY - A key part of Australia's eastern farmlands slipped further into drought in March but record crops were still expected if good rains fell soon, New South Wales Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said on Sunday. New South …
Australia Says Stable Food Supplier Despite Drought JAPAN: April 7, 2008 TOKYO - Australia has demonstrated that it is a reliable, global supplier of wheat and other food, despite up to seven years of drought that has cut deeply into crop production, Agriculture Minister Tony Burke said on Friday. The …