China’s Latest Drought Disaster Figures Confirm FIRE-EARTH Estimates

Drought affecting 27 mln people in China: Ministry of Civil Affairs

Persistent drought since  June has affected 27.11 million people in “11 provincial-level areas across China,” said the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA).

The drought has left 5.1 million people and  1.56 million livestock short of drinking water, with the direct economic losses put at 12.21 billion yuan (1.99 billion U.S dollars), MCA reported.

The drought has also damaged or destroyed 2.6 million hectares of crops nationwide, according to the report.

Original caption: Drought has affected the growth of corns in Dongshan Village of Pengshui County, southwest China’s Chongqing, Aug. 1, 2013. Lingering droughts in Chongqing have resulted in sever damage for crops and shortage of water supply. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng). More images…

See FIRE-EARTH post Major Catastrophe Unfolding in China, and  the related links.

1,057 Iraqis Killed in July

At least 4,137 civilians killed¹ and 9,865 injured so far this year: UN

July casualties in Iraq are the worst in more than five years, with 928 civilians killed² and at least  2,109 others injured. An additional 129 members of the Iraqi security forces were killed and 217 others injured, the UN mission in Iraq reported.

“The impact of violence on civilians remains disturbingly high, with at least 4,137 civilians killed and 9,865 injured since the beginning of 2013,” the Acting Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq, Mr. Gyorgy Busztin, warned. “We haven’t seen such numbers in more than five years, when the blind rage of sectarian strife that inflicted such deep wounds upon this country was finally abating. I reiterate my urgent call on Iraq’s political leaders to take immediate and decisive action to stop the senseless bloodshed, and to prevent these dark days from returning.”

The worst-affected governorate in July were Baghdad ,Salahuddin, Ninewa, Diyala, Kirkuk, Anbar, Babil, Wasit and Basra, the report said.

NOTES:

1.  Iraq Body Count puts the number of civilians killed in July at 968.
2.  According to the most reliable estimates, at least 4,798 people have been killed and 10,944 other injured in Iraq so far this year.

Thailand Oil Spill Spreads, Tourists Evacuated

Oil spill fourth largest in Thailand’s history:  Energy Ministry!!

At least 50,000 liters of crude oil leaked from a pipeline in the Gulf of Thailand off the coast of Rayong, southeast of the capital Bangkok over the weekend.

The oil spill has now reached the popular Thai tourist resort of Ao Prao Beach on Koh Samet Island, said pipeline operator PTT Global Chemical,  prompting evacuation of about a third of the tourists in the area.

Thai Oil Spill Reaches Tourist Island

PTT Global Chemical is part of Thailand’s biggest energy company, the state-controlled PTT Pcl.

PTT Exploration and Production, another subsidiary of the Thai oil monster, was blamed for “systemic shortcomings” after Australia’s worst offshore drilling disaster in 2009, when thousands of gallons of crude oil leaked into Timor Sea, covering tens of thousands of square kilometers, and reaching as far as the Indonesian islands.

Related Links

• Australia Blazing Oil Rig May Collapse November 2, 2009

Major Disaster Declared in El Paso County, CO

WH Declares Colorado a Federal Disaster Area

The White House has  declared a major disaster exists in the State of Colorado in the areas affected by the Black Forest Fire during the period of June 11-21, 2013.

Black Forest Fire near Colorado Springs in the El Paso County burned 14,280 acres, destroying at least 511 homes and damaging 28 others. The fire started on June 11 and was declared 100 percent contained on June 20.

An aerial view of a destroyed house and vehicles in the aftermath of the Black Forest Fire in Black Forest, Colorado June 13, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Rick Wilking

Federal funding has been made available for Crisis Counseling , Disaster Unemployment Assistance for affected individuals, as well as emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the Black Forest Fire in El Paso County, said the WH.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments, said the official statement.

Related Links

• Colo. Fire Turns Deadly, Most Destructive in State’s History  June 14, 2013
• Massive Wildfire Threatens to Torch Colorado Town  June 24, 2013

2013 U.S. Drought Disaster Map

Drought Disaster Covers All or Parts of 28 States

As of July 31, 2013 some 1,295 U.S. counties were designated as drought disaster areas. [The figure includes both primary and contiguous disaster designations.]

U.S. Drought Disaster Map as of July 31, 2013.  At least 1,295 counties, or 41% of all counties*, were designated as drought disaster areas. [The figure includes both primary and contiguous disaster designations.] Source: USDA. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH.

*[U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.]

Related Links

• Disaster Declared for 98 Counties in 9 States August 1, 2013
• Drought Disaster 2013 [Index Page]

Frost Damages Nearly Fifth of Brazil Sugar Cane Crop

EXCLUSIVE: Frosts devastated large areas of Brazil’s top sugar-cane states: Analyst

Vast areas in three of Brazil’s top sugar-cane states were devastated by severe early morning frosts on July 24 and 25, Datagro told Reuters.

The disaster occurred at a time when more than half of Brazil’s expected record 590-million-ton crop remains unharvested, said the report.

Some 65 million metric tons, or 18 percent of the unharvested cane was damaged by the frost, Datagro told Reuters.

“We don’t know how much of the affected … cane has been lost yet; we should know in about a week… In some cases the ratoons (young shoots) were hit and will need to be replanted, so the impact will carry over into next year’s crop.”

The worst affected areas were the states of Parana, Mato Grosso do Sul and Paranapanema Valley in Sao Paulo.

The brown rot setting in to the growing point of cane, indicates that the plant will loose its sugar content and die within a month. (Credit: Renee du Preez) via ABC Rural Au.

Full report posted HERE.

Disaster Declared for 98 Counties in 9 States

98 Counties in nine states designated as agricultural disaster areas: USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 98 (ninety-eight) counties in nine states as agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the ongoing drought and freeze earlier in the year.

The designated disaster areas, both primary and contiguous, spared across nine states:

• Idaho (23 counties designated as disaster areas)
• Montana (4)
• Nevada (2)
• Oregon (1)
• Wyoming (1)
• Mississippi (41)
• Alabama (4)
• Louisiana (3)
• California (19)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 19 counties in California as agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the ongoing drought.

The counties designated as primary or contiguous disaster areas are

Calaveras, Orange, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Cruz, Alpine, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, Stanislaus, Amador, Merced, San Benito, San Mateo and Tuolumne.

Drought disaster has also been declared in 5 other states:

• Idaho: Ada, Elmore, Gem, Owyhee, Canyon, Fremont, Lemhi, Payette, Adams, Butte, Custer, Jefferson, Twin, Falls, Blaine, Camas, Gooding, Madison, Valley, Boise, Clark, Idaho, Teton and Washington counties.
• Montana:  Beaverhead, Gallatin, Madison and Ravalli counties.
• Nevada: Elko and Humboldt counties.
• Oregon: Malheur County.
• Wyoming: Teton County.

All counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas July 31, 2013.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 41 counties in Mississippi as agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by a freeze that occurred March 25-29, 2013.

The counties are Clarke, Harrison, Marion, Copiah, Jackson, Pearl, River, Covington, Jones, Perry, Forrest, Lamar, Pike,m George, Lauderdale, Stone, Greene, Leflore, Walthall, Hancock, Lincoln, Wayne, Amite, Hinds, Jefferson Davis, Rankin, Carroll, Holmes, Kemper, Simpson, Claiborne, Humphreys, Lawrence, Smith, Franklin, Jasper, Neshoba, Sunflower, Grenada, Jefferson, Newton and Tallahatchie.

Agricultural disaster due to the freeze has also been declared in 2 other states:

• Alabama: Choctaw, Mobile, Sumter and Washington counties.
• Louisiana: St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington counties.

All counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas July 31, 2013, said USDA.

Previous Entry for Drought Disaster

• Drought Disaster Declared for Montana Counties  July 25, 2013