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
• https://feww.wordpress.com/2011/02/23/christchurch-could-vanish-from-google-map/
• https://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

Typhoon WASHI: 1,650 dead or missing

Death toll from typhoon WASHI tops 650, about 1,000 missing

At least 650 bodies have been recovered following the floods caused by typhoon WASHI, mostly women and children, and up to 1,000  others are reported as missing.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 18

[December 18, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,550 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Mindanao, Philippines. Typhoon WASHI [locally known as ‘Sendong’] dumped more than a month of average rains on Mindanao island in southern Philippines according to local weather office.
• A total of more than 1,650 people have lost their lives or reported as missing after flooding and landslides triggered by the typhoon [locally known as ‘Sendong’] buffeted southern Philippines.
• Some 652 people were killed in eight provinces in the southern Mindanao region, said the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC).
• “This thing happened so fast. It’s overwhelming. We didn’t expect these many dead,” a senior official said.
• “We need body bags and lime to deal with too many cadavers,” said General Roland Amarille, head of an army task force in Iligan.
• “Local mortuaries are no longer accepting cadavers and they are even asking people to bury the dead at once because there are too many bodies even in hallways.”
• “About 70 percent of the houses on the island were washed into the sea,” Amarille said.
• The authorities have declared states of calamity in Iligan City,  Dumaguete City and the municipality of Valencia, both located in Negros Oriental province.
• At 4:00am local time, December 18, 2011, TS WASHI [‘SENDONG’] made another landfall near Puerta Princesa City and is now heading towards the West Philippines Sea, NDRRMC reported.
• In its latest update, the NDRRMC also reported the storm had so far affected 19,759 families [or 108,130 people] in 140 districts in 17  municipalities and eight cities in 11 provinces.

Other Global Disasters

• East Java, Indonesia. At least 220 people were missing [possibly as many as 600 are feared dead,] after an overcrowded boat packed with political and economic refugees heading for Australia sank off the coast of east Java in Indonesia, officials said.
• Between 30 and 75 people have been rescued, according to different reports.

• Cairo, Egypt.  At least a dozen demonstrators have been killed and about 500 others wounded by the Egyptian army following a third day of clashes in a new round of uprising as the winter of the so called “Arab Spring” deepens.
• Increasingly, the Egyptians are realizing that what they actually participated in wasn’t a “revolution,” but a coup d’etat, cunningly orchestrated by the military and its paymasters and carried out on the back of a mass uprising.
• Egypt is Israel’s next-door neighbor. Hell would freeze over before Egyptians are allowed to have a functioning democracy!
  

• Russia. Some 53 people are dead or missing after an oil rig overturned in the Sea of Okhotsk in the Russian Far East, the emergency service officials 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

Typhoon WASHI pounds Philippines leaving 650 dead or missing

UPDATED at 13:30UTC

Typhoon WASHI batters Mindanao island, southern Philippines, leaving at least 650 dead or missing, 100,000 displaced

Flooding and landslides triggered by Typhoon WASHI [locally known as ‘Sendong’] have claimed at least 256 lives, leaving more than 400 missing and 100,000 displaced, according to the PNRC. 

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 17

[December 17, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,551 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Mindanao, Philippines. Flooding and landslides triggered by Typhoon WASHI [locally known as ‘Sendong’] have claimed at least 256 lives, leaving more than 400 missing and 100,000 displaced, according to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC).
• “Massive flooding had been reported over the region, especially in Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro City,” said the head of the national disaster rescue agency, adding that tens of thousands of people had been displaced.
• Scores of villages have been swamped in the region by torrents and flash floods.
• Many of the victims died from drowning, as floodwaters swamped homes in the middle of the night, trapping many residents sleeping in their homes.
• The typhoon was downgraded to a tropical storm and is now heading towards Sulu Sea.
• “Lieutenant General Jessie Dellosa, armed forces chief of staff, said military rescuers have retrieved 92 bodies in the city of Cagayan de Oro,” Deutsche Presse-Agenture reported.
• At least 150 others drowned as flash floods struck Iligan City, and five more died in a landslide in Monkayo town in Compostella Valley province, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said.
• At least 3 people also drowned in Polanco town in Zamboanga del Norte province, the report said.
• “Five miners were killed in a landslide in Monkayo on Mindanao and another 21 people drowned on the central island of Negros, the PNRC 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

HFMD outbreak in Vietnam 7 times deadlier than average

HFMD epidemic kills 160, sickens up to 100,000 in Vietnam

The 2011 HFMD outbreak in Vietnam is more than 7 times deadlier than the previous 3-year average toll. The epidemic has claimed about 160 lives, mostly children, and sickened up to 100,000 others between May and November this year.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 16

[December 16, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,552 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Vietnam. A severe outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) has claimed about 160 lives, and sickened 100,000 others between May and November this year.
• The epidemic has claimed 7 times as many lives as the previous 3-year average.
• “This year’s outbreak is a sharp uptick from recent years. Since 2008, about 10,000 to 15,000 cases were reported per year with about 20 to 30 children dying annually,” AP reported.
• HFMD is caused by intestinal viruses that belong to the Enterovirus genus (group), with the most common strains being Coxsackie A virus and Enterovirus 71 (EV-71).
• In rare cases Viral or “aseptic” meningitis or inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) can occur as a result of the disease.

HFMD causes ulcers in the mouth and blisters on the hands and feet. (Source: KK Women’s and Children’s hospital, Singapore.)

Other Disasters

• The Netherlands. Tens of thousands of Dutch children have suffered sexual abuse in Catholic institutions since 1945, a report said.
• “Based on a survey of more than 34,000 people, the report estimates that one in five children in Catholic institutions suffered abuse.”
• “The problem of sexual abuse was known in the orders and dioceses of the Dutch Catholic Church, but the appropriate actions were not undertaken.” AFP quoted the commission as saying.
• About a third of Dutch population identify themselves as Catholics.
• One in 10 Dutch children suffered form abuse, rising to one in five among those who attended a Catholic institution, the report 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

Disaster declared for more areas in NSW, Australia

Severe rain and flooding in NSW causes significant damage to 15 areas

Torrential rain and severe flooding across parts of Northern and Central NSW have prompted the state government to declare natural disasters in two more council areas—a total of 15 disaster declarations.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 15

[December 15, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,553 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• New South Wales, Australia. Weeks of torrential rains triggering severe flooding in parts of northern and central NSW has caused significant damage to 15 local government areas.
• Significant damage has been caused to Lachlan Shire and Parkes Shire Councils following the severe weather, said the Minister for Police and Emergency Services .
• “The region has suffered extensive damage from the rain, hail and strong winds which has brought down trees causing damage to property and infrastructure including roads and fencing,” a report said.
• “Many families and business owners have been affected by the weather that has lashed the area and this Natural Disaster Declaration will help get them back on their feet,” said the Minister.
• Other areas that have been designated as disaster areas are Moree Plains, Inverell and Armidale Gunnedah, Narrabri, Gwydir, Muswellbrook, Liverpool Plains, Tamworth and the Upper Hunter Shire Councils, Uralla, Guyra, Glen Innes Severn Shire Councils, the report said.

Other Global Disasters:

• Texas, USA. Gov. Rick Perry has included eight Big Country counties to a list of 67 state counties  to form an expanded federal disaster declaration, a report said.
• “The original declaration in July covered only 45 [sic.] counties for fires that occurred between April 6 and May 3. The new declaration extended the wildfire window to include fires through Aug. 29 [2011.]”
• The 8 additional areas, which make up a total of 119, are Brown, Coke, Haskell, Howard, Jones, Knox, Nolan and Shackelford counties.
• Texas spent at least $330 million to tackle the wildfires that scorched about 4 million acres and destroyed thousands of homes and other structures across the state.
• Minnesota, USA. Thirty-four counties in Minnesota have been declared Agricultural Disaster Areas due to losses caused by the combined effects of excessive rain, excessive heat, high winds, tornadoes and an early fall frost that occurred during the period of April 1, 2011, through Sept. 15, 2011, USDA reported.
•  The 7 Primary Disaster Areas are Clay, Meeker, Pope, Yellow Medicine, Le Sueur, Norman and Waseca counties.
• The 27  counties declared as contiguous disaster areas are Becker, Kandiyohi, Otter Tail, Stearns, Blue Earth, Lac Qui Parle, Polk, Steele, Chippewa, Lincoln, Redwood, Stevens, Douglas, Lyon, Renville, Swift, Faribault, McLeod, Rice,Wilkin, Freeborn, Mahnomen, Scott, Wright, Grant, Nicollet and Sibley.
• The following counties in the Dakotas are also designated as disaster areas because they’re contiguous.
• North Dakota: Cass, Richland and Traill counties.
• South Dakota:  Deuel County.
• Maine, USA. Thirteen counties in the state of Maine have been declared as Agricultural Disaster Areas due to losses caused by two separate disaster conditions, USDA reoported.
• Event No 1. Primary Natural Disaster Areas: Aroostook, Hancock, Penobscot and Washington counties in Maine were designated primary natural disaster areas as a result of excessive rain, hail, high winds, below normal temperatures, dry weather and excessive heat that occurred from May 3, 2011, through Sept. 20, 2011.
• Contiguous disaster areas: Knox, Piscataquis, Somerset and Waldo counties
• Event No 2. Primary Natural Disaster Areas: Oxford County in Maine was designated a primary natural disaster area as a result of excessive rain, flash flooding, flooding and high winds associated with and following Hurricane Irene that occurred from Aug. 28, 2011, through Sept. 23, 2011.
• Contiguous disaster areas: Androscoggin, Cumberland, Franklin and York counties.

• The following 2 counties in New Hampshire were also designated as natural disaster areas because they’re contiguous: Carroll and Coos counties.

• Thailand. Death toll from Thailand’s epic flooding has reached at least 708, with three people missing, said the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department official.
• Floodwaters are still flowing in 17 provinces in central and southern Thailand, affecting more than 5,7090 villages, China’s official news agency reported.
• England. about 75,000 people with diabetes die in England every year (~15 per cent of all deaths), said a report.
• An estimated 24,000 of the deaths are “avoidable.”
• Some 290,000 people in the UK have Type 1 diabetes and more than 2.6 million are diagnosed with Type 2, however an additional 850,000 are undiagnosed.

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

IRENE’s legacy continues to haunt the East Coast

25 Virginia counties and 2 independent cities declared agricultural disaster areas

Two separate disaster conditions, hurricane Irene, and drought and excessive heat, prompted the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to declare 25 counties and two  independent cities in Virginia as agricultural disaster areas.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 14

[December 14, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,554 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Virginia, USA. Hurricane IRENE. Greensville and Lunenburg counties were designated primary natural disaster areas following the damage caused by Hurricane Irene that struck the area on Aug. 27-28, 2011.
• The 8 counties of Brunswick, Dinwiddie, Nottoway, Southampton, Charlotte, Mecklenburg, Prince Edward, and Sussex, as well as the independent city of Emporia were also declared disaster areas because they’re contiguous.

• North Carolina. Northampton County in neighboring North Carolina was also designated as a disaster area because it’s contiguous.
• Virginia, USA. Drought and Excessive Heat. The three counties of Cumberland, Pittsylvania and Powhatan in Virginia were designated primary natural disaster areas as a result of drought and excessive heat that occurred from May 25, 2011, through Aug. 27, 2011.
• Twelve other counties and an independent city were also declared as disaster areas because they’re contiguous.
• The counties were Amelia, Campbell, Franklin, Henrico, Bedford, Chesterfield, Goochland, Henry, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Halifax and Prince Edward.
• Independent City: Danville
• North Carolina. Caswell and Rockingham counties in North Carolina were also designated as disaster areas  because they’re contiguous.

Other Incidents

• Nelson, New Zealand. A state of emergency has been declared in Tasman and Nelson districts, located in NZ’s South Island, due to heavy flooding.
• The NZ Army is on stand by in the region, with the emergency declaration remaining in effect for seven days.
• A dam has collapsed in Golden Bay stranding dozens of people.
• The officials have described flooding in the region as “horrendous” with many road closures caused by “slips all over the place.”
• The worst affected areas were Nelson City and Eastern Golden Bay, with “major flooding” reported in the Golden Bay area.
• More rain has fallen in the past 24 hours as there usually is for the whole of December, a local meteorologist was quoted as saying.
• Major slips have caused extremely serious problems in the Nelson region.
• A number of dwellings have been obliterated by landslides.
• Makeshift evacuation centers have been set up.
• Tourists were reportedly climbing trees to avoid drowning as the Maitai River level rose considerably.
• The Nelson rain, already classified as a once-in-20-years flood,  could qualify as a once-in-50-years flood, as more heavy rain is forecast.
• “Civil Defence said 54 slips had so far been reported in the region and 108 people were registered as having “self evacuated,” a report said.
• Police has ordered many residents to evacuate.

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

Mystery killer disease sweeping across Central America

Mysterious epidemic killing more men in Nicaragua than HIV and diabetes combined

The disease which is causing kidney failure has killed so many men in western Nicaragua’s sugarcane-growing community of La Isla [The Island] the locals call their village La Isla de las Viudas—”The Island of the Widows.”

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 13

[December 13, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,555 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Central America. A mysterious killer epidemic is sweeping across Central America, killing more men in Nicaragua than HIV and diabetes combined. In El Salvador, the disease is the 2nd biggest cause of death among the male population, said a report.
• The epidemic is now prevalent across six countries, along the Pacific coast of Central America.
• The following figures show the percentage increase in male deaths caused by kidney disease in Central America between 2005 and 2009:
• Guatemala: 27%
• El Salvador: 26%
• Nicaragua: 41%
• Costa Rica: 16%
• “It is important that the chronic kidney disease (CKD) afflicting thousands of rural workers in Central America be recognized as what it is – a major epidemic with a tremendous population impact,” said Victor Penchaszadeh, a clinical epidemiologist at Columbia University, and a consultant to the Pan-American Health Organization on chronic diseases in Latin America.
• El Salvador’s health minister has asked the international community for help. The epidemic is  “wasting away our populations,” she said.
• The worst aspect of the disease is the suddenness by which it claims its victims. The disease victims show no sign of high blood pressure or diabetes, which are the most common causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the “developed world.”
• “Most of the men we studied have CKD from unknown causes,” said Dr. Carlos Orantes, who recently discovered that a quarter of the men in the farming region of Bajo Lempa in El Salvador are afflicted with CKD.
• Dr. Orantes believes that exposure to toxic chemicals—pesticides and herbicides—is a major cause of the CKD in his area.

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

Flooding intensifies in Kenya

More than 100,000 Kenyans displaced as death toll climbs to 24

Raging floods in Kenya have caused massive destruction of infrastructure, leaving at least 24 people dead and more than 100,000 displaced.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 12

[December 12, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,556 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Kenya. Raging floods in Kenya have caused massive destruction of infrastructure, leaving at least 24 people dead and more than 100,000 displaced.
• “The displaced have challenges of sanitation facilities and are also using raw water from the open, a situation that has put their health at risk. They have also lost almost all their crops, some of which were almost mature, after their farms were submerged under floodwaters,” said a report.
• Tanzania. Extreme rains in Arusha, Kilimanjaro, and Mbeya have left at least a dozen people dead and up to 10,000 homeless.
• Strong winds and  extreme rains, which have triggered severe flooding and landslides, have destroyed hundreds of homes, as well as roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
• Torrents of mud and debris unleashed by extreme rains have buried hundred of hectares of crops including rice, maize, sunflower and sorghum.
• The floods occurred just three weeks after similar havoc last month, a report said.
• Mexico. A state of emergency was declared in 71 municipalities in the Mexican States of Durango, Zacatecas and Veracruz after freezing temperatures left at least a dozen people dead.
• Chile. Jorge Montt glacier (surface area: ~450 km²), a tidewater glacier located south of the town of Caleta Tortel in Chile’s Aisén Region, is melting at an average rate of about 2.74 meter per day (about 1 km per year), researchers say.

The rapidly retreating Jorge Montt glacier, Bernardo O’Higgins National Park, Chile. Photo credit AFP. Image may be subject to copyright.

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

Rape epidemic worsening globally

Millions of people worldwide raped each year

Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden and the United States are among top 10 countries with the highest reported cases of rape.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 11

[December 11, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,557 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• South Africa has the highest rates of rape in the world. Interpol estimates that more than a million rapes are committed annually in South Africa.
• An estimated 200,000 children, some under the age of one year,  are raped in SA each year.
• United States. “Officials estimate that, in reality, as many as 2 million women are raped each year, with the majority of them not reporting this violent crime because of the stigma that society still imposes on the victim.”
• 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime (14.8% completed rape; 2.8% attempted rape).
• 15% of sexual assault and rape victims are under age 12.
• “Most statutes currently define rape as nonconsensual oral, anal, or vaginal penetration of the victim by body parts or objects using force, threats of bodily harm, or by taking advantage of a victim who is incapacitated or otherwise incapable of giving consent.”
• About 27.5% of college women in the United States “reported experiences that met the legal criteria for rape.”
• Some 44% of rape victims are under age 18.
• 80% are under age 30.
• At least 84 % of sexual assaults are not reported to the police.
• About 3% of American men — or 1 in 33 — have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.
  • In 2003, 1 in every ten rape victims were male.²
  • 2.78 million men in the U.S. have been victims of sexual assault or rape.
• “Estimates of the proportion of rapes reported to authorities vary — from less than 3 per cent in South Africa to about 16 per cent in the United States.”
• “Rape victims are especially at risk of infection. Up to 30 per cent of women raped in the United States every year, for instance, develop an STD as a result.”

• Global. “Around the world, at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or abused in some other way — most often by someone she knows, including by her husband or another male family member; one woman in four has been abused during pregnancy.”
• “At least 60 million girls who would otherwise be expected to be alive are “missing” from various populations, mostly in Asia, as a result of sex-selective abortions, infanticide or neglect.”
• “Molestation of young girls is another profoundly disturbing aspect of this problem. A study in Zaria, Nigeria, for example, found that 16 per cent of hospital patients with sexually transmitted infections were under age 5.At the Genito-Urinary Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe, doctors discovered that more than 900 children under age 12 had been treated for an STD in 1990 alone.”
• Globally, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 10-20 men report being sexually abused as children. WHO Child maltreatment Fact sheet N°150 August 2010.

Global Disaster Links

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

Deadly epidemic kills 109 in Brazil

Meningitis epidemic prompts tourists to cancel reservations at Bahia’s Costa do Sauipe resort

At least 109 people, most of whom contracted cerebrospinal meningitis, have died in Brazil’s Bahia state since January, the authorities said.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 10

[December 10, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,558 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Bahia, Brazil. At least 109 people, most of whom contracted cerebrospinal meningitis, have died in Brazil’s Bahia state since January, the authorities have said.
• At least 1,670 cases of bacterial meningitis, the most serious form of the disease, have been reported in the state of Bahia so far this year, AFP reported officials as saying.
• Dozens of tourists fearing the epidemic have canceled their reservations at Bahia’s Costa do Sauipe resort.
• Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, and is usually caused by caused by infection with microorganisms, especially viruses and  bacteria.
• Meningitis is potentially life-threatening and has a high mortality rate if untreated.
• Typically, Brazil has a bacterial meningitis rate of about 46 per 100,000 annually.
• Bahia is one of Brazil’s 26 states, located in the country’s northeastern Atlantic coast (population: >14million).
• The largest epidemic ever recorded in history plagued the sub-Saharan Africa in 1996–1997, causing over 250,000 cases and claiming 25,000 lives, a mortality rate of 10 percent.

Other Global Disasters

• Alabama, USA. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared twenty-six counties in Alabama as agricultural disaster areas due to losses caused by excessive rain, flooding, flash flooding, hail, high winds and tornadoes that occurred April 1-30, 2011.
• Six counties were designated as Primary Disaster areas: Blount, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Monroe and Morgan counties.
• Twenty other counties were also declared disaster areas because they’re contiguous:  Baldwin, Conecuh, Fayette, Lamar, Butler, Cullman, Franklin, Lauderdale, Clarke, Escambia, Jackson, Limestone, Colbert, Etowah, Jefferson, Marshall, St. Clair, Walker, Wilcox and Winston counties.
• The following bordering counties in Mississippi and Tennessee were also declared as  disaster areas because they’re contiguous:
• Mississippi: Itawamba and Monroe counties.
• Tennessee: Franklin and Lincoln counties.

Global Disaster Links

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

WARNING: About 20 percent of the world population could perish [randomly] by 2016

Nodding syndrome claims its 66th victim

Fatal neurological syndrome threatens thousands of Ugandan children

Nodding syndrome (aka, nodding disease) is a little-known syndrome which first emerged in Africa in the 1960s.  The fatal disease affects young children under the age of 15, leaving them mentally and physically disabled.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 9

[December 9, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,559 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Padre, Uganda.  Nodding syndrome  has claimed its 66th victim in Padre, Uganda. It is a little-known syndrome which first emerged in Sudan 3 decades ago. The disease affects young children aged between 5 and 15 [other reports put the victims age bracket between 3 and 18,] leaving them mentally and physically disabled.
• “Nodding disease is a peculiar health problem that was first reported in the district in 2008 and is characterized by head nodding, mental retardation, stunted growth, blindness, body stiffness, endless running nose and saliva, occasional defecation and urination during attack of the infected person,” said a report.
• The disease is spreading rapidly in Uganda’s Padre district with up to 1,600 infections registered per day since August, according to Pader District Health Officer Janet Oola.
• Possible causes of the disease include exposure to chemical or  biological weapons.

Other Disasters

• Kolkata, India.  At least 73 people were killed when fire engulfed a hospital in the Indian city of Kolkata.
• The AMRI hospital staff said the victims included 70 patients and three staff members, Indo-Asian News Service reported.
• Missouri, USA. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declare 24 counties in Missouri as agricultural disaster areas due to losses caused by severe storms with hail and high winds that occurred Aug. 18-22, 2011.
• Seven counties designated as the Primary Disaster Areas:  Andrews, Atchison, Gentry, Lafayette, Nodaway, Pettis and Platte.
• Seventeen counties designated as the Contiguous Disaster Areas: Benton, Clay, Daviess, Henry, Johnson, Saline, Buchanan, Clinton, De Kalb, Holt, Morgan, Worth, Carroll, Cooper, Harrison, Jackson and Ray.
• The following counties in Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska were also designated as disaster areas because they’re  contiguous:
• Iowa: Fremont, Page and Taylor counties.
• Kansas: Atchison, Doniphan, Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties.
• Nebraska: Nemaha, Otoe and Richardson counties.

Global Disaster Links

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

WARNING: About 20 percent of the world population could perish by 2016