Most Unethical Nations in 2011 [and Probably 2012]

“War Is Peace”

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 31

[December 31, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,537 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

World’s top 20 countries with the highest arms expenditure 

Top 20 countries with the highest military expenditure for 2010 shown as a percentage of the world total. Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, War Resisters League and others.

NOTES:
1. The “Tier 1 Coalition Countries,” or the countries that obediently  support the United States war efforts to maintain its empire status, which include Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Australia, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Spain and the Netherlands account for at least 71% of the world’s total arms procurement.

2. Arms procurement is normally 20-50% of the countries’ military budgets.

3. World’s total arms expenditure for 2010-2011 was estimated at $1,655 billion.

4. The 2012 United States federal budget is a staggering $2,847 billion, of which 48% ($1,372 billion) is allocated to the military. (Source). The figure includes 30% or $869 billion for current military operations, and 18% or $503 billion for past military disasters from Total Outlays of $2,847 billion in 2012 fiscal year. ["The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan—not to mention the Pentagon’s voracious appetite for expensive weapons systems—have been a gold mine for the Big Five:  Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Raytheon, Northrop-Grumman and Boeing." ~ “From Pentagon, a Buy Rating on Contractors,” Joe Nocera, New York Times, Feb. 11, 2011]

Global Disaster Links

• The 48 percent

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Cyclone THANE Kills Dozens, Destroys or Damages Thousands of Homes in India

Strong Cyclone THANE Wreaks Havoc Across India’s Tamil Nadu Province

Cyclone THANE struck the Tamil Nadu coast, leaving at least 2 dozen dead and causing extensive damage across the Cuddalore district and the Union Territory of Puduchery.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 30

[December 30, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,538 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Tamil Nadu, India.Cyclone THANE struck the Tamil Nadu coast with winds of up to 140kmh, leaving at least 2 dozen people dead and causing extensive damage across the Cuddalore district and the Union Territory of Puduchery.
  • At least 5,000 coastal homes have been damaged or destroyed.
  • Thousands of trees have been uprooted.
  • Cuddalore district in Tamil Nadu is the worst-hit area, with roads severely damaged.
  • The Union Territory of Puduchery is cut-off from the nearby districts, reports said.

Cyclone THANE. IR-NHC Enhancement. Source: CIMSS

• Thailand. Official death toll from epic flooding in Thailand has climbed to 790 with three people still missing (!)
  • Floods affected up to 14 million people across 66 of Thailand’s 76 provinces.
  • Up to 1.5 million homes have been destroyed or damaged.
  • The government estimates overall flood-related damage at  Bt1,300bn ($41.4bn), a report said.
  • Flooding, which began in late July, still persists in the provinces of Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani affecting up to 2.5 million people.
  • Thai government also declared cold spell disaster zones in 26 northern and northeastern provinces in November.

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Extreme Weather Event in Melbourne Declared Catastrophe

Melbourne’s Xmas Day violent storms declared a catastrophe by insurers

The Insurance Council of Australia has declared the extreme weather event that tore through Melbourne a catastrophe.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 29

[December 29, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,539 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Melbourne, Australia.Insurance industry has declared the extreme weather event that struck Melbourne on Xmas Day Australia’s 8th catastrophe in 2011.
  • The insurance companies have received more than 15,000 claims for homes, businesses and vehicle damage following the violent storms, and the number is expected to grow in the coming weeks as more people return from their holidays, reports said.
  • Insured losses from the 2011 catastrophes are estimated to top $4.5 billion this year, more than twice the $2.144 billion in 2010.
• Aklan Province, Philippines.  Authorities in the Aklan Province, Western Visayas, Philippines, have declared a State of Calamity after giant waves battering against coastal areas destroyed or damaged at least 500 homes.
  • Municipality of New Washington in Western Visayas is the worst hit area.
  • The disaster has left thousands of people displaced, destroyed crops and infrastructure.

Global Disaster Links

• Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 25

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Half a million Yemeni children suffer from acute malnutrition

Many Yemenis live off tea and bread

Half a million Yemeni children suffer from acute malnutrition; drought and deluge threaten the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of farmers, according to Yemeni Minister of Health.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 28

[December 28, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,540 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Yemen. A third of the Yemenis, about 8 million people, are food insecure, and the number is expected to rise when the World Food Program carries out a new national Comprehensive Food Security Survey next year.
• The term “food insecurity” is used when people go to  bed on an empty stomach or have no idea where their next meal may come from.
• A recent state survey conducted in Hudeidah Governorate found a global acute malnutrition (GAM) rate of 31.7 percent among the sample population.  More than 10 percent of the malnourished children were severe cases.
• “The survey also found that nearly 60 percent of children were underweight and 54.5 percent stunted, meaning their height was too low for their age, a sign of longer-term malnutrition.” The UN reported.
• “The Hudeidah survey found that three in every four children suffered from diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections or fever in the two weeks preceding the survey; and 2.5 percent of mothers reported symptoms of measles in their children in the past three months. The survey found measles vaccination coverage of 74 percent in Hudeidah, well below the 90 percent coverage rate needed to prevent an outbreak.”
• Malnutrition-related deaths are expected to rise in Yemen as the health services continue to deteriorate, UINCEF reported.

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

20,000 displaced in Philippines latest floods

Dozens of cities inundated in Cebu, Mindanao and Visayas islands, Philippines

Extreme rain events have raised the water levels across Cebu, Eastern and Western Visayas, and the landlocked province of Agusan del Sur (Mindanao), triggering widespread flooding in low-lying areas.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 27

[December 27, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,541 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Philippines. Extreme rain events have raised the water levels across Cebu, Eastern and Western Visayas, and the landlocked province of Agusan del Sur (Mindanao) triggering widespread flooding in low-lying areas, which have left at least 2 dozen towns and cities and hundreds of villages inundated.
• The mayor of Bayugan, a city in the province of Agusan del Sur, has reportedly issued a mandatory evacuation order for villagers in at least one district due to rising floodwaters.
• The worst hit area is Sagay City in the province of Negros Occidental, the Western Visayas, where more than 5,000 people have been displaced.
• Floods and mudslides have destroyed at least a hundred homes and other structures and washed away several bridges according to early reports; however, the damage is expected to be far more severe.
• Philippines weather agency (PAGASA) said the extreme rain events were caused by two weather systems: The tail-end of cold front and a low pressure area west of  Mindanao.
• The agency has forecast more rain, flooding and landslides throughout the entire region.
• Mindanao Island was declared a disaster area last week following the devastation cause by Typhoon WASHI (Sendong).
• Death toll from the storm has climbed to 1500, with hundreds still missing.
• At least a third of a million people were displaced   after WASHI [“Sendong”] struck.
• More than 60,000 people are currently living in shelters, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Death Toll Rises as Cold Wave Intensifies in N India

At least 140 dead as temperatures in N India dip 5 degrees below normal

Most of the deaths have occurred in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state with a population of more than 200 million.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 26

[December 26, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,542 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Northern India. At least 140 people are dead in northern India due to intense cold conditions.
• Unusually cold conditions continue in the region.
• The worst hit states are Uttar Pradesh. Punjab, West Bengal, and Haryana.
• Most of the deaths occur among the homeless  and the dispossessed elderly.
• India is among the top 10 procurers of weapons, spending more than $41.3 billion on its armed forces (Source: SIPRI).

Other Global Disasters

• Philippines. Death toll from the devastaiting floods and landslides caused by Typhoon WASHI has now climbed to at least 1,250 with more than 1,100 missing, disaster officials said.
• About 700,000 people have been affected by WASHI, of which 70,000 are housed in 46 evacuation centers, NDRRMC said.
  

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Niger Faces Food Shortages

Poor harvests caused by prolonged drought and desertification plague Niger

Grain production in West Africa’s largest country fell by 27 percent last year, Agriculture Minister Oua Seydou has told parliament.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 25

[December 25, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,543 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Republic of Niger. Grain production in West Africa’s largest country fell by 27 percent last year, Agriculture Minister Oua Seydou has told parliament, leaving the people in 6,981 villages, or 58 percent of the country, with the prospect of food shortages.
• The harvest was down to 3.8 million tons, also a shortfall of 11 percent compared with the five-year average, the Minister said.
• Allowing for wastage and seed grain for next season, an estimated 3,239,825 tons would be left for consumption, compared with 3,759,464 tons needed, a shortfall of 14 percent, he added.

Other Global Disasters

• Cuba. A boat carrying Haitian migrants sank close to the eastern coast of Cuba, leaving at least 38 people dead.
• Indonesia. Continued activity at Mt Gamalama including several eruptions since December 4, has left about 2,400 people displaced, the Ternate City Disaster Management Agency.

• Philippines. At least 1,100 people are now confirmed dead and  with 1,079 others reported missing following the devastation caused by Typhoon WASHI in the Philippines, officials said.

• Lakes State, South Sudan.  At least 250 people have been killed and more than 320 others injured in South Sudan cattle raids since January 2011, the parliament of Lakes state was told.
• “In two counties alone nearly 17,000 cattle were stolen this year commissioners told a special inquiry into the practice in Rumbek, the capital of South Sudan’s central state,” a UN report said.
• Sahel Region, West and Central Africa. More than one million children in 8 countries across the Sahel belt in West and Central Africa face severe malnourishment in 2012.
• Poor harvests caused by drought, loss of top soil, sandstorms and desertification could mean food shortages occurring as early March next year.
• Melbourne, Australia. Mini-tornadoes spawned by  severe thunderstorms that pummeled many parts of Melbourne causing widespread damage across the city, reports said.
• Hailstones measuring about 4 ins (10 cm) in diameter have pelted suburbs of the city.
• Parts of Melbourne also face the threat of flash-flooding, Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology said.
• “The bureau has forecast very dangerous thunderstorms around Melbourne Airport and surrounding suburbs with severe thunderstorms in other parts of the city being accompanied by destructive winds, very heavy rainfall and hail, and flash flooding,” said the report.
• “Hailstones the size of cricket balls, flash-flooding, planes diverted and flights postponed, power lost from homes, major transport delays and a tornado to top things off – that was Christmas Day in Melbourne.”

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

The 48 percent

Xmas Special:

48% of Americans are Poor or Low-Income;
48% of the US Tax Dollars Goes to the Military

A record 48 percent of Americans—146.4 million—have fallen into poverty or are scraping by on earnings that classify them as low income, an increase of 4 million people since 2009.

[NOTES: Under the new guidelines by Supplemental Poverty Measure for 2011, issued by the U.S. Census Bureau, about 48 percent of Americans, or 146.4 million people, are living in poverty or on low incomes, earning less than $44,700 for a family of four, an increase of 4 million people since 2009.  The poverty level for a family of four was set at income below $23,500 per year. Over 49 million Americans (16 percent) fall below the poverty line.

Poverty v. 'Power'

The 2012 United States federal budget is a staggering $2,847 billion, of which 48% ($1,372 billion) is allocated to the military. (Source)

[NOTES: The figure includes 30% or $869 billion for current military operations and 18% or $503 billion for past military disasters from Total Outlays of $2,847 billion in 2012 fiscal year. "The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan—not to mention the Pentagon’s voracious appetite for expensive weapons systems—have been a gold mine for the Big Five:  Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Raytheon, Northrop-Grumman and Boeing." ~ “From Pentagon, a Buy Rating on Contractors,” Joe Nocera, New York Times, Feb. 11, 2011]

Other Poverty Dividends

According to a new report by The National Center on Family Homelessness more than 1.6 million children are homeless annually in America. This represents an increase of 38% since 2007.

Most Americans (58.5%) will spend at least one year below the poverty line at some point in their lives between ages 25 and 75.

Extreme Rain Event Causes Deadly Flooding in Tanzania

Heaviest rainfall in living memory causes devastating floods in Tanzania, killing dozens, displacing thousands

Days of heavy flooding in Tanzania have caused devastating floods in Tanzania, killing about 40 people and leaving more than 10,000 displaced.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 24

[December 24, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,544 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Tanzania. Extreme rain events in Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Mbeya regions of Tanzania have causes devastating flooding triggering landslides, killing at least two dozen people and leaving more than 10,000 displaced.
• At least 4,000 people in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city, have lost their homes.
• The flooding and mudslides have detryed road, bridges and other infrastructure.
• Hundreds [possibly thousands] of hectares of paddy, maize, sunflower and sorghum were buried in mud and debris, reports said.
• Heavy rain is expected to continue into 2012, forecasters said.

Other Global Disasters

• Colombia. Torrential rains continue to wreak havoc across Colombia.
• At least 200 people have been reported as dead or missing.
•  About 150,000 homes are reportedly destroyed or damaged.
• The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (SIGPAD) has reported about 300 landslides and avalanches and up to 600 flooding events.
• More than 800,000 people in 461 municipalities have been affected.
• SIGPAD has placed many river basins under Red Alerts.
• See previous entry at US 2011 Mega Disasters Costs Exceed $52 Billion*
• Angola. Severe floods near the Angolan border with the Democratic Republic of Cong have destr4oyed or damaged at least 720 homes, leaving more than 1,000 families displaced.
• Kuando Kubango province, Angola. At least 4,000 families have been displaced in Angola’s southeastern Kuando Kubango province following flooding caused by torrential rains.

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Royal Dutch Shell spills about 40,000 barrels off Nigeria

Major spill moving toward densely populated Nigerian coastline

“Less than 40,000 barrels of oil” has been leaked into the ocean, admitted the Anglo-Dutch oil monster.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 23

[December 23, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,545 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Nigeria.  A major oil spill caused by the the Anglo-Dutch oil monster Royal Dutch Shell is moving towards the most densely populated Nigerian coastline.
• The spill is said to be the biggest leak in Nigeria since 1998 and has forced the company shutdown of the company’s to shut down its 200,000bpd floating Bonga facility, about 120km off the coast of Nigeria.
• “The giant Bonga floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel is in use at Shell’s Bonga oilfield (discovered in 1993 and with a life of 20 years), which lies 120km off the coast of the Niger Delta, covering an area of 60km². The vessel, which became operational in 2004, is permanently installed in water depths ranging from 1,000m to 1,125m. First oil production was made in November 2005.”

Other Global Incidents

• Alaska, USA. Western Alaska declared major disaster area following massive November storm. The Disaster President has declared a major disaster exists in Western Alaska following the damage caused by the Bering Sea mega storm and flooding during the period of November 8-10, 2011.
• The worst affected ares are the North Slope Borough, the Bering Strait Regional Educational Attendance Area (REAA), the Lower Kuskokwim REAA, the Lower Yukon REAA, and the Southwest Region REAA.

• Christchurch, New Zealand. A cluster of more than a dozen quakes have struck NZ’s Christchurch area since earlier today. The largest quake so far measured 6.0 on the Richter Scale.  
• Several building have collapsed, and many more have been damaged.
• Dozens of people have been injured, reports said.
• Significant flooding and liquefaction have occurred in eastern suburbs of the city;  rockfalls were reported in several areas.
• See also
• Earthquake Cluster Zone Closing in on New Zealand
• http://feww.wordpress.com/2011/02/23/christchurch-could-vanish-from-google-map/
• http://feww.wordpress.com/2008/09/30/a-magnitude-7-earthquake-hits-kermadec-islands/

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Baghdad Blasts: Hundreds Killed or Wounded

Bombings in 14 locations leave at least 63 dead and 185 wounded

Baghdad’s worst bombings in months have claimed hundreds of dead and wounded.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 22

[December 22, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,546 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Baghdad, Iraq. Co-ordinated bomb attacks in 14 location throughout the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, have killed at least 63 people and injured more than 185, officials said.
• The attackers blasted civilian instead of security targets, a military spokesman said.
• “They targeted children’s schools, day workers and the anti-corruption agency,” he told reporters.
• The attacks come shortly after an arrest warrant was issued for Sunni Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi on terror charges.
• The Disaster President, Barrack Obama, was quoted as saying that the US forces were leaving behind “a sovereign, stable and self-reliant Iraq, with a representative government elected by its people.”
• Up to 700 others have been killed or wounded in recent Iraqi bombings over the past few months.

Other Global Disasters

• Thailand. More than 15,000 villages in 20 of Thailand’s 76 provinces have been declared “cold spell disaster zones,” said Thailand’s director general of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.
• The disaster provinces facing “critical cold climate” are Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Phrae, Uttaradit, Nan, Tak, Phayao, Lampang, Sakon Nakhon, Lei, Nong Khai, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Kalasin, Buri Ram, Suphanburi, Ratchaburi, Chiang Rai, Ubon Ratchathani and Mahasarakham, he said.
• See also previous entry.
• India. The official death toll from a cold snap sweeping northern India has climbed to at least 95, reports said.
• Most of the deaths occur among the homeless  and the dispossessed elderly.
• The actual death toll may be a lot higher.
• India has the world’s 9th largest military expenditure, spending more than $41.3 billion on its armed forces (Source: SIPRI).
• Thailand. A total of 754 bodies have now been recovered, with at least three people still missing following the epic flooding that inundated large parts of Thailand, according to the country’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.  said
• The floods still prevail in six provinces, affecting at least 4 million people.
• The six flooded provinces are Ayutthaya, Bangkok, Lopburi, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani.

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Texas drought kills 500 million trees

Up to 500 million trees across Texas have died due to 2011 drought: Report

The new estimates by Texas Forest Service does NOT include trees killed in wildfires that have consumed about 4 million acres of the Lone Star state since the 2011 fires began.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 21

[December 21, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,547 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Texas, USA. As many as 500 million trees “with a diameter of 5 inches or larger” across the state of Texas have died as a result of unrelenting drought and record-setting temperatures that plagued the Lone Star state, Texas Forest Service reported.
• The 12-month period between November 1, 2010 and October 31, 2011 was the driest in Texas history, said the State Climatologist.
• Also, the months of June, July and August in Texas were the hottest three-month period ever recorded anywhere in America.
• “In 2011, Texas experienced an exceptional drought, prolonged high winds and record-setting temperatures. Together, those conditions took a severe toll on trees across the state,” said Burl Carraway, Sustainable Forestry department head. “Large numbers of trees in both urban communities and rural forests have died or are struggling to survive. The impacts are numerous and widespread.”
• The estimate represents about 10 percent of all the trees in the state, Carraway added.
• “The preliminary estimates indicate three multi-county areas appear to be the hardest hit. The area including Sutton, Crockett, western Kimble and eastern Pecos counties saw extensive mortality among Ashe junipers.” TFS said.
• “The area including Harris, Montgomery, Grimes, Madison and Leon counties saw extensive mortality among loblolly pines. Western Bastrop and eastern Caldwell counties, as well as surrounding areas, saw extensive mortality among cedars and post oaks.”
• Trees need about 30 years to mature.

YTD Texas wildfire stats by TFS as of October 7, 2011. [The acreage  burnt includes about 3.1 million acres of pasture land.]

• Texas. The state’s worst ever drought has also led to the largest-ever one-year decline in its cow herd, reports said.
• The number of cows in Texas has declined by at least 600,000, a 12 percent drop from the 5 million cows in the state at the beginning of the year, said David Anderson of  the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.
• Large number of cows were moved out of the state “somewhere there’s grass,” but many were slaughtered. For example, about 200,000 more cattle were slaughtered in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana and Arkansas,  this year, a 20 percent increase over last year, he said.

Other Disasters

• The Carolinas, USA. A total of 19 counties in the Carolinas have been declared as agricultural disaster areas due to losses caused by drought and excessive heat that began June 1, 2011, and continues, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported.
• South Carolina disaster designations cover 6 primary areas including Cherokee, Greenville, Laurens, Pickens, Spartanburg and Union counties, and 8 contiguous areas: Abbeville, Anderson, Chester, Fairfield, Greenwood, Newberry, Oconee and York counties
• Five North Carolina counties also included in the declaration because they’re contiguous disaster areas: Cleveland, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford and Transylvania.
• Hong Kong. The government is culling 17,000 chickens after three birds died from the H5N1 bird flu strain last week.
• Two wild birds including an Oriental magpie and a black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) were found dead  with the virus.
• An outbreak of the deadly respiratory disease SARS killed 300 people in the territory and 500 more worldwide in 2003.
• Meantime, a government advisory board in the US has asked scientific journals not to publish details of “certain biomedical experiments, for fear that the information could be used by terrorists to create deadly viruses and touch off epidemics,” a report said.
• USA. About 41% of young adults and adolescents in the U.S. have been arrested at least once before age 23, not including minor traffic violations. Up to 27% reported being arrested before age 18, according to a study published by the Journal of Pediatrics.

• USA.  Blizzard conditions across five states have killed at least a dozen people since Monday including
• Four people traveling in east-central New Mexico were killed in a head-on collision
• A driver in New Mexico was killed after his SUV overturned
• A prisoner and a corrections officer in Colorado were killed after their vehicle went out of control.
• Five people were killed when their plane crashed in Central Texas on Monday. “Weather may have been a contributing factor,” Texas Department of Public Safety said. “There was some rain in this area and some lightning.”
• A tornado spawned by thunderstorms damaged a hospital in DeQuincy, Louisiana, National Weather Service reported.
• Emergency services across the Great Plains have received hundreds of rescue calls since Monday, when the blizzard shut down highways.
• The storm has brought snow from Oklahoma into Kansas, and forced Los Alamos National Laboratory to shut down.

Continuing southern Plains blizzard snarls pre-holiday travel with heavy snow, high winds

Storm forces massive school closures impacts numerous highways in four states

Kansas City, Mo. – Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011 – The winter storm that began developing Monday in New Mexico made its presence known by wreaking havoc on pre-holiday travel. Blizzard conditions closed numerous roads, schools and businesses today; stranded motorists and kept transportation and emergency management agencies busy trying to keep roads clear. National Guard troops were assigned to rescue people from stranded vehicles in several locations.

Blizzard Warnings remained in effect until around noon today in central, southwestern and west-central Kansas, the Oklahoma Panhandle and the northern and western Texas Panhandle.

A Winter Storm Warning was in effect for the same period in central and North-central Kansas. Winter Weather Advisories were in effect for southeastern Colorado; northern, central and south-central Kansas; northeast Missouri, northwest Oklahoma and the southern Texas Panhandle.

As of early this morning, the heaviest snowfall reported from the storm was 15 inches that fell on Springfield and La Junta in southeast Colorado. High winds have created drifts up to 10 feet deep in that area. Other overnight snow reports from Colorado included 12 inches at Beulah in Pueblo County, 10 inches at Las Animas and 8-12 inches in Huerfano County.

Winds around 25-35 mph with gusts to 50 mph are also producing considerable blowing snow and white out conditions throughout the blizzard area. Observers have reported 3-5-foot drifts across roads in much of southwest Kansas with-5-9 inches of snow on the ground overnight. Drifts are reaching 8 feet deep in parts of Hamilton County, Kan. The heaviest snow observed in Kansas so far was 12 inches at Scott City. – Source: NWS-CRH

Global Disaster Links

• Worsening Texas Drought May Stay Many Years

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Philippines declares national calamity

Philippine President declares national calamity amid mounting storm tolls

Philippine President Benigno Aquino has declared a state of national calamity following the devastation caused by flash floods and landslides as typhoon WASHI swept through Mindanao and Negros islands, killing about 1,000 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 20

[December 20, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,548 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Philippines. Philippine President Benigno Aquino has declared a state of national calamity following the devastation caused by flash floods and land slides as typhoon WASHI swept through Mindanao island, killing about 1,000 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
• The government has simply no way of knowing how many people are still missing.
• “We’ve lost count for those still missing,” disaster managment chief Benito Ramos said earlier.
• About 340,000 people in 13 provinces have been  affected by the disaster inducing at least 43,000 still in evacuation centers, the disaster agency said.
• At least 10,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed by Typhoon WASHI and the ensuing flash floods.
• Dozens of roads and bridges as well as schools and other infrastructure have also been severely damaged or destroyed.

Other Global Disaster

• Moscow, Russia. A snowstorm and a sudden drop of temperature in the Moscow region has resulted in multiple car crashes leaving at least 10 people dead and dozens of others hospitalized, a report said.
• India. The official death toll from cold snaps in northern India has climbed to 39 as intense cold swept through the region claiming 11 more lives, reports said.
• The worst hit states are Uttar Pradesh. Punjab and Haryana.
• Cold weather is forecast to continue for at least a week, meteorologists said.

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Weather Disaster Declared in 11 Thai Provinces

8,724 villages in 11 Thai provinces declared disaster areas due to cold snaps

A weather front which has been causing cold spells in northern and northeastern Thailand, has also brought heavy rains to the lower South for several days triggering floods and major landslides.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 19

[December 19, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,549 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Thailand. Authorities have declared 11 provinces in upper Thailand as disaster areas because of a weather front which has caused cold spells to the north and northeastern parts of the country. The front has also brought heavy rains to the lower South for several days triggering floods and major landslides.
• At least two major landslides were reported in Songkhla,  one in Rattaphum and the other in Krasae Sin districts, a report said.
• The provinces declared disaster zones due to the cold spell are Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Phrae, Nan, Tak, Phayao, Sakhon Nakhon, Loei, Mukdahan, Kalasin and Buri Ram, said the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department chief.
• At least 2 million people have been affected including 469,132 people in Chiang Mai province alone.

Related Links

• Bangkok Primed for Collapse
• Floods in SE Asia causing serious food shortages

• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Massacred in Japan

Image of the Day: Sea of Dolphin Blood

Image copyrighted by Sea Shepared see Blog’s Fair Use Notice.

Taiji Sea of Red. Click image to enlarge.

“Killing Nation, Killing Town”

“The slaughter of 20,000 dolphins, porpoises, and small whales occurs in Japan each year. Starting on September 1st and usually continuing through March of the next year, fishermen herd whole families of small cetaceans into a shallow bays and mercilessly stab and drown them to death.”  Sea Shepard

“The Taiji Slaughter Cove”

“As many as 20,000 dolphins and porpoises are killed in Japanese waters each year[1]. Most (18,000 of that number) are Dall’s porpoises killed at sea by harpoon in the northern part of the country.  The March 11, 2011, tsunami destroyed much of the infrastructure associated with this slaughter.  It remains to be seen if the slaughter will revive to its pre-earthquake numbers.”

“Most of the dolphins and small whales captured in the Taiji FU drive hunts are killed and the meat is sold in for human consumption.  Respected scientists the world over report on the high levels of mercury and other contaminants in the meat of these animals, but many Taiji locals ignore these warnings.  They often say that there are plenty of old people around who ate dolphin all their lives, and they unfortunately accept the propaganda served to them by the Japanese government that the levels and threat of mercury in the meat is not significant.”

“This year (September 2011 – August 2012) the Taiji FU has a permitted quota for 2,165 dolphins and other small whales[2].” History of Taiji’s Cetacean Kill

Taiji, is located on the eastern shore of Wakayama Prefecture.

Following the arrest of Dutch citizen Erwin Vermeulen three days ago, Wakayama police has now raided the hotel where Sea Shepherd cove guardians and a Save Japan Dolphins monitor are staying.

In a desperate act and “an attempt to muzzle free speech and to cover-up the horrific slaughter of the dolphins at the Cove,” the Japanese police have confiscated the monitors’ property including “all laptops, cameras, phones” and other monitoring equipment, Sea Shepard said on their website.

[1] The actual numbers each year vary.  20,000 is on the high end.  The reported numbers in recent years are dropping.

[2] Bottlenose dolphin – 652,  Striped Dolphin – 450,  Spotted Dolphin – 400,  Risso’s Dolphin – 275,  Long-finned Pilot Whale – 184,  Pacific White-sided Dolphin – 134,  False Killer Whale – 70.

Related Links

• WhaleWatch