Hundreds of thousands of people affected by heavy snow and freezing weather in central China
Snowstorms have destroyed hundreds of homes leaving thousands of people homeless in the mountainous regions of central China’s Hunan Province.
Disaster Calendar 2012 – January 26
[January 26, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016. SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,511 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History
- Hunan Province, China. Multiple snowstorms have destroyed hundreds of homes and left thousands homeless in the mountainous regions of central China’s Hunan Province.
- The storms have also destroyed thousands of hectares (acres) of crops causing millions of dollars in damage, Chinese official media reported.
Other Disasters
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. The Longjiang River in southwest China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has been severely polluted after a mining company discharged large amounts of industrial effluent containing cadmium into the waterways
- Authorities in Hechi City, where the discharge occurred, have confirmed that the cadmium-rich pollutants were discharged by a local mining company.
- Excessive cadmium levels, measuring at least three times the “official limit,” were detected in the river earlier this month, which killed many fish and prompted concerns over drinking water.
- The local fire department has dumped more than 80 tons of aluminum chloride into the Longjiang River to “neutralize” the contamination.
- Cadmium is a carcinogen. The metal is used to manufacture pigments and batteries and in the metal-plating and plastics industries.
- “The incident caused panic buying of bottled water in Liuzhou city at the lower reaches of the river over the past few days,” said a report.
- Liuzhou city supermarkets have run out of bottled water.
The main sources of cadmium in the air are the burning of fossil fuels such as coal or oil and the incineration of municipal waste. The acute (short-term) effects of cadmium in humans through inhalation exposure consist mainly of effects on the lung, such as pulmonary irritation. Chronic (long-term) inhalation or oral exposure to cadmium leads to a build-up of cadmium in the kidneys that can cause kidney disease. Cadmium has been shown to be a developmental toxicant in animals, resulting in fetal malformations and other effects, but no conclusive evidence exists in humans. An association between cadmium exposure and an increased risk of lung cancer has been reported from human studies, but these studies are inconclusive due to confounding factors. Animal studies have demonstrated an increase in lung cancer from long-term inhalation exposure to cadmium. EPA has classified cadmium as a Group B1, probable human carcinogen. (Source: EPA)
- Pakistan. More than 100 people have died from the tainted heart medicine in the Pakistani city of Lahore, the health ministry said.
- The heart medication was provided to patients free of charge by the state-run Punjab Institute of Cardiology.
- South Island, New Zealand. At least 82 of the 99 whales beached at the Farewell Spit on January 23 have died or were killed by the Department of Conservation in New Zealand, a report said.
- “Department of Conservation (DoC) area manager John Mason said the remaining 33 whales were shot in the head with a high calibre rifle shortly after the decision to put them down at 8.15am today.”
Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background
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- 2011 Disaster Calendar
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