Disaster Diary – 26 June 2013

Alaska Declared Major Disaster Area

The Disaster President has declared a major disaster exists in the State of Alaska  in the area affected by flooding during the period of May 17 to June 11, 2013.

The worst affected areas are in the Alaska Gateway REAA*, Lower Yukon REAA, Yukon Flats REAA, and the Yukon-Koyukuk REAA.

*[Regional Educational Attendance Area (REAA)]

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Disaster President Signs Disaster Declaration for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

The President has declared a major disaster exists for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in the area affected by severe storms and flooding during the period of May 25 to June 1, 2013.

Extreme weather triggered severe storms and flooding which damaged or destroyed much of the facilities on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.

The Standing Rock Indian Reservation is a Dakota, Lakota and Yanktonai Indian reservation located in the Dakotas.

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Himalayan Tsunami: 8,000 people still unaccounted for in N India

Death toll in Himalayan Tsunami triggered by extreme monsoon rains in
northern Indian state of Uttarakhand could exceed 8,000 as thousands of people, mostly pilgrims, are still unaccounted for, a senior official has said.

Meantime, the Indian military has recovered 824 rotting corpses, which are contaminating the water sources.

Authorities fear an outbreak of serious diseases such as cholera and dysentery due to poor sanitation throughout the flood-affected areas.

“We are getting reports from the field that there are rotting bodies lying around, many of them semi-buried in soil and rubble that came down from the mountains,” said the Humanitarian Manager for Oxfam India.

“There are also carcasses of livestock in rivers and streams and this has, of course, contaminated so many of their water sources. But people are desperate and are being forced to consume water they wouldn’t otherwise.”

The devastating floods have destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, washed away farmlands, roads, bridge and other infrastructure.

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27 people killed in China’s restive Xinjiang region

Riots have killed 27 people in China’s restive, autonomous region of  Xinjiang, Chinese state media reported.

Rioters stabbed 17 people and set police cars alight, said the report. Police shot dead 10 of the rioters.

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Excessive Heat Warnings

Excessive Heat Warnings and Watches are in effect for SE California, S Nevada, NW and Central Arizona, E Oklahoma and NW Arkansas.

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National High and Low Temperature – Contiguous U.S.

High Temperature for Tuesday, June 25, 2013 (as received by 8 am EDT June 26)

• 108ºF (42.2ºC) recorded at Death Valley, CA
• 108ºF at Ocotillo Wells, CA

Low Temperature for Wednesday, June 26, 2013 (as received by 8 am EDT June 26)

• 37ºF (2.8ºC) at Mammoth Lakes, CA

NWS Weather Prediction Center, College Park, MD – Issued 8 am EDT Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Global High and Low Temperature

High Temperature for Wednesday, June 26, 2013

• 118ºF  (47.8ºC) – Recorded in Oman

Low Temperature for Wednesday, June 26, 2013

• -92.7ºF  (-69.3ºC) Recorded at  Davis Lgb 46 Aws (Antarctica Weather Station, located at an altitude of 2,354m)

Continued…