Deadly Floods Plague Ethiopia, Fiji, Pakistan

Death toll from Pakistan floods climbs to 71

Flooding in Pakistan’s northwest and in Kashmir has claimed more lives raising the death toll to at least 71 Tuesday, officials said.

“The number known to have died in rains so far in the northwest has now risen to 61 with over 350 houses damaged all over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the local officials said.

Severe flooding kills 28 in Ethiopia: Official media

At least 28 people have been killed in severe flooding in two remote regions of Ethiopia, reported the official news agency.

At least 23 people were killed and 84 others injured after a river that crosses Jigjiga, the regional capital of the Somali region, burst its banks on Sunday.

Extreme rain events flooded the drought-stricken region of Afar, causing severe flooding, and killing five people, AP reported.

Two tropical depressions continue to impact Fiji

The town of Nadi has been submerged under meters of floodwater since Sunday after heavy rain, and people throughout Fiji brace for even more flooding.

More than 3,500 people have fled their homes seeking shelter in about 80 evacuation centers in the north and west of the main island Viti Levu, as a double whammy of tropical depressions continue to impact the country, said a report.

At least one person was killed and another missing in weather related incidents.

Residents of Korociri cross the flooded Nadi Back Road. Photo: Fiji Government

Category 5, Severe Tropical Cyclone WINSTON struck the island nation on 20 and 21 February cutting a path of destruction across the country, wiping out entire communities/villages, and prompting the government to declare a state of disaster.

Drought-stricken Palau could dry up completely this month

Drought-stricken Palau could dry up completely this month, officials warned Monday as the Pacific island appealed for urgent international aid, including shipments of drinking water.

The tiny nation of 18,000 people declared a state of emergency in march, “the latest Pacific island nation to do so as one of the worst ever El Nino-induced droughts in the region worsens.”

“We’re still in the state of emergency, there’s a sense of urgency to address the crisis,” a government spokesman told AFP as the National Emergency Committee (NEC) met to discuss strategy.

Volcano Eruption Alert: Popocatépetl Explodes

Pyroclastic surge from Popocatépetl volcano sets forest alight

Violent eruption at Mexico’s Popocatépetl produced  a Pyroclastic surge climbing 2km above the crater  and setting the nearby forest alight, said Mexico’s National Center for Disaster Prevention (CENPRED ).

The explosion also caused ashfall in the towns of Juan C. Bonilla and Coronango, in the state of Puebla.

Popocatépetl Volcano (“smoking mountain” in Aztec) is North America’s 2nd-highest volcano. The massive stratovolcano stands 5,450m high and lies about 65 kilometers (40 miles)  southeast of  Mexico City (19.023°N, 98.622°W ) in the eastern segment of the Trans-Mexican volcanic belt.

Popocatépetl explodes (image #8). Credit: CENPRED

The following is latest report posted at CENPRED official website:

As of posting,  the volcano exhibited “continuous emission of steam and gas” in easterly direction (image 9), said the report.

April 05 at 11:15 (16:15 GMT)

During the last 24 hours, 96 long period events were registered and five explosions yesterday at 16:44 h (image no. 1) and 20:31 h the latter generated a ash column of 2 km height above the crater, which moved towards the northeast. Likewise, the fall of incandescent fragments were observed, mainly on the east and southeast slopes of the volcano at a distance of 3.5 km, because of this some fires were generated in the upper part of the forest (image 2), (image 3), (image 4), (video 1), (video 2), (video 3). This explosion caused ash fall in the towns of Juan C. Bonilla and Coronango, both in the state of Puebla. The remaining three explosions were recorded today at 06:54, 7:14 and 07:49 h (image 5), (image 6), (image 7), (image 8).

Additional materials: (video 4), (video 5), (figure 10), (figure 11), (figure 12).

CENAPRED emphasizes that people SHOULD NOT go near the volcano, especially near the crater, due to the hazard caused by ballistic fragments (image 13).

This type of activity is included within the scenarios Volcanic Traffic Light Yellow Phase 2.

The scenarios forecast for this phase are:

1. Explosive activity of low to intermediate level.

2. Ash fall in nearby towns.

3. Possibility of short range pyroclastic flows and mudflows .

Special emphasis is placed on the following recommendations: Continue the safety radius of 12 km, so staying in that area is not allowed.

Related Links

• Popocatepetl Volcano Alert Level Raised Posted on July 7, 2013
• Explosive Activity Increases at Popocatépetl Posted on May 13, 2013