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Selected Global Extreme InformationRAPID RESPONSE PROJECT: May 1999 - Last Updated June 2, 1999UPDATE OF REPORTED CLIMATE-WEATHER IMPACTS (Courtesy of NOAA Office of Global Programs) ** All products of the RRP are archived at: Rapid Response Project RAPID RESPONSE PROJECT: The summaries are broken down into weekly reports. Impacts Reported as of 05/03/99- 05/07/99 BANGALDESH (hailstorm) A hailstorm, accompanied by high winds and rainfall, resulted in three fatalities and injured some 150 people in northern Bangladesh. Several thousand people were also displaced. INDIA (heat wave) The heat wave in parts of India has reportedly caused the death of at least 140 people. Schools were closed in New Delhi as a result of the heat wave. FIRE Hot spots, fire, and/or smoke were reported in Canada, Central America and southern Mexico, as well as eastern Russia. Images are available at: http://www.osei.noaa.gov UNITED STATES (tornadoes) Tornadoes affected Kansas and Oklahoma on Monday night. Fatalities have been reported at over 40. In Wichita 100 people were injured and 20,000 homes were left without power. In Oklahoma City an estimated 1,000 homes were destroyed along with another 500 in Moore, just south of Oklahoma City. Some of the seventy-plus tornadoes reached F4 and F5 magnitude. More tornadoes affected Tennessee Wednesday night. 50,000 people in Nashville went without electricity. The media reported 30 affected counties. Four fatalities were also noted. Impacts Reported as of 05/10/99- 05/14/99 FIRE Hot spots and smoke have been noted in Central America and southern Mexico. Images available at: http://www.osei.noaa.gov MEXICO (drought) The northern state of Sinaloa is reportedly being affected by a severe drought. 65,000 individuals from 200 communities in the mountainous regions are said to be without water. The GOM noted that Sinaloa, as an agricultural state, would likely experience a rise in unemployment due to the rain shortfall. NEW ZEALAND (drought threat) New Zealand's Ministry of Agriculture stated that drought could affect the country again for the third year in a row. The Ministry also stated drought from the previous two years cost $279 million USD in agricultural production. NORTH KOREA (drought) Having recently released its own estimates of casualties and damages related to a series of floods, droughts, and subsequent famine affecting the country since 1995, the DPRK also stated that much of its northern regions have been suffering from drought these past several months. Reuters reported that the coastal areas of the north were the hardest hit -- having not received rain for nearly 4 months. RHINE (flooding) Flooding along the Rhine in France and Switzerland has occurred as a result of melting snow. There are worries the flooding might continue in France as new melting occurs. The French power company, EDF, shut down several of its hydroelectric stations for 24 hours while the flooding persisted. Several flood plains and camping grounds were allowed to be inundated in order to relieve the main channel. Reuters reported that in Switzerland several trains were running late as tracks and roads were flooded. THAILAND (flooding) Flash floods affecting the Uttaradit and Nakhon Sawan provinces resulted in four fatalities. According to the Bangkok Post, flooding was also noted in the Tak, Kamphaeng Phet, and Uthai Thani provinces. Impacts Reported as of 05/17/99- 05/21/99 BRAZIL A heavy rain triggered a mudslide near the town of Salvador that claimed the lives of five individuals and left 20 missing. 9 people were also injured. CHINA (tornado) A tornado in Guangdong province resulted in 13 fatalities and 51 injured people. Several hundred homes were also destroyed. CHINA (flooding) The Xinhua reported that flooding in Hunan resulted in 17,300 houses damaged or destroyed and 200,000 hectares of flooded farmland. The South China Morning Post reported 3 deaths. The government is preparing 450,000 civilians from the Shangdong province for anti-flood work. Flooding earlier this year in Hunan submerged 66,000 hectares of land and resulted in 1 death. INDIA (cyclone) 20,000 people were evacuated as cyclone 2A headed for the Saurashtra coast of India's Gujarat province earlier this week. The Hindustan Times noted that an analogue cyclone last June caused over a thousand deaths in Kandla and surrounding areas. The GOI has allotted each district in Gujarat $117,000 USD to gather supplies. Images and animation of the cyclone are available at: http://www.osei.noaa.gov MEXICO (drought) The GOM is giving $23.5 million USD in assistance to help farmers and ranchers affected by drought. The affected provinces are Sonora, Coahuila, Nuevo, Leon, Tamaulipas, Sinaloa, Durango, San Luis Potosi, and Zacatecas. The GOM also declared five of the states disaster zones. Water reservoirs are reportedly 13-21 percent of the normal level. PAKISTAN (cyclone) According to several media reports, a cyclone has left several hundred people missing in the remote southeastern coastal areas of the country after causing storm surges and flooding. The GOP has sent 300 soldiers to area to aid in relief efforts. Images and animation of the cyclone are available at: http://www.osei.noaa.gov THAILAND (flood) The Bangkok Post reported that high tides and run-off have resulted in flooding in the areas surrounding the Chao Phraya river. Damage has been minimal so far, but there is concern that flooding might affect parts of the Ayutthaya historical park, which contains ancient ruins. UNITED STATES (fire)(Florida) Roughly 175,000 acres of land have burned in Florida this year. UNITED STATES (hailstorm) A hailstorm on the weekend of May 9 created 648 "divots" or strikes on the foam insulation of the space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank. Repairs had to be made before the shuttle's scheduled launch. Impacts Reported as of 05/22/99- 05/24/99 EUROPE (flooding) For the past several weeks flooding in the Alpine regions been caused by heavy rains and melting snow. Five deaths have resulted in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Flooding of the Rhine has also affected France. INDIA (cyclone 02A) The Hindustan Times reported that heavy rains associated with cyclone 02A destroyed thousands of houses and cattle in districts of Rajasthan. The most affected areas were Jaisalmer and Barmer but also included Bikaner, Udaipur, Banswara, and Dungepur. PAKISTAN (cyclone 02A) Cyclone 02A hit coastal areas of Pakistan on May 20. Media reports have placed the death toll at 400 and stated 1,200 are still missing. The worst affected areas are the poor fishing villages of the Thatta and Badin districts in the Sind province. The government of Pakistan stated that as of Saturday 50 some fishing vessels with nearly 250 individuals were still missing. In addition some 60,000 hectares of farmland has been severely affected, and hundreds of livestock and poultry destroyed. Some 600 villages have been affected. Impacts Reported as of 05/24/99 - 05/28/99 BRAZIL (storms) Floods and landslides associated with heavy rainfall have caused 14 deaths while displacing an additional 8,000 people. CENTRAL AMERICA (flooding) Heavy rains and flooding halted nearly 1,000 trucks along the Pan-American Highway between El Salvador and Honduras. There is concern that infrastructure damaged by Mitch may continue to deteriorate as the rainy season approaches. EUROPE (flooding) Flooding along the Danube has occurred in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Five deaths have resulted and thousands have been evacuated. Flooding of the Rhine has also affected France. FIRE Fires and hotspot have been noted in Florida and parts of Canada. Images available at: http://www.osei.noaa.gov MEXICO (drought) Severe drought in Mexico has reportedly reduced many water reservoirs to nearly 20% of normal capacity. Farmers have begun using sewage to irrigate crops. PERU (flood) Heavy rains in Peru have caused flooding near the city of Iquitos and surrounding jungle. Four deaths have been reported and some 7,000 homes damaged. PHILIPPINES (flood) Two days of heavy rainfall caused flooding in the southern Philippines. Seven deaths have been reported. 75 houses have been damaged or destroyed. RUSSIA (fire) Moscow reported that fires in the pine forests of the Siberian region were aggravated by recent warm weather. Fuel and equipment shortages, as well as the remoteness of the area, are hampering efforts to contain the blaze.
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