State of Emergency‎ Declared in Ecuador

Deadly flooding plagues five Ecuador provinces

Ecuador President has proclaimed states of emergency in the provinces of Manabi, Los Rios, Guayas, El Oro, and Loja amid widespread floods which have left at least 2 dozen people dead and more than 3,000 homeless.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 9

[March 9, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,468 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Ecuador. Ecuador President has proclaimed states of emergency in the provinces of Manabi, Los Rios, Guayas, El Oro, and Loja amid widespread floods which have left at least 2 dozen people dead and more than 3,000 homeless.
  • The states of emergency will remain effective for 60 days.

Other Global Disasters

• Madagascar.Death toll from Tropical Storm IRINA which struck the country on February 26-27 has climbed to at least 72, the government said.
  • The storm triggered flooding and landslides which also destroyed some1,350 homes, leaving about 80,000 people displaced.
  • On February 14, Giovanna, a Category 4B Cyclone, slammed the Indian Ocean island with sustained winds of  231km (143 miles) per hour and wind gusts exceeding 275kph, killing at least 35 people, injuring 300 and destroying about 4,000 structures, mostly homes, and dozens of schools, leaving up to 15,000 people homeless.
  • In 2008, wind damage and severe flooding by Cyclone Ivan caused much devastation to  Sainte Marie Island and mainland Madagascar, leaving about 270 people dead or missing and 330,000  others homeless, destroying about 200,000 hectares of  crops and leaving thousands without food.

• Sicily, Italy. A severe storm brought heavy rains, high winds and hail to the island of Sicily, forcing dozens to evacuate their homes and closing Catania’s international airport.

  • The storm caused substantial damage to standing crops, including fruit and vegetables.
    

• W. Virginia, USA.The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 7 counties in West Virginia as agricultural disaster areas due to losses caused by excessive rain and flooding that occurred from Nov. 21-23, 2011.
  • Primary disaster areas: Jackson County.
  • Contiguous disaster areas: Kanawha, Mason, Putnam, Roane, Wirt and Wood counties.
• Ohio. Meigs County in the bordering state of Ohio has also been designated a disaster area because it’s contiguous.

• NSW, Australia. Goulburn Mulwaree Local Government Area has been declared a Natural Disaster Area because of the damage caused by flooding.
  • Seven more municipalities are to be declared Natural Disaster Areas.
  • Blayney Shire has been declared a natural disaster area following the severe flooding last week.
  • “It brings the total number of Local Government Areas Declared Natural Disasters as a result of this weather event to 46,” NSW  Emergency Services Minister said.
  • “Although the rain has stopped for the time being, flood waters continue to disrupt and threaten many towns and locations and there is hardly an area of NSW that has not been affected at some point,” the Minister said.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar 

Texas Drought Causes Urban Forest Die-off

2011 Texas drought kills 5.6 million urban shade trees: TFS

The historic drought has killed an estimated 5.6 million shade trees, dubbed ‘urban forest,’ throughout the cities, towns and communities across the state of Texas since last year, Texas Forest Service (TFS) reported.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 16

[February 16, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,490 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Texas, USA.  Last year’s unrelenting drought killed an estimated 5.6 million shade trees, dubbed urban forest,’ throughout the communities across the state, Texas Forest Service(TFS) reported.
  • “This estimate is preliminary because trees are continuing to die from the drought,” said Pete Smith, Texas Forest Service staff forester and lead researcher. “This means we may be significantly undercounting the number of trees that ultimately will succumb to the drought. That number may not be known until the end of 2012, if ever.”
  • “All cities and towns in Texas were included in the study with the exception of the Trans Pecos region, where tree mortality was determined to be a result of a February 2011 cold snap; not the drought,” said the report.
  • The loss of economic and environmental benefits provided by the trees is estimated at about $280 million per year, TFS said.
  • To prevent safety hazards posed by falling dead trees, the authorities will have to remove them. The estimated cost of  removing the dead trees is $560 million.

Texas Drought Map (Feb. 2012). Source: US Drought Monitor

Other Global Disasters

• Madagascar.   Death toll from Cyclone Giovanna, which struck Madagascar on February 14, 2012, has risen to at least 16, officials have reported.
  • Many people were reported missing and about 100 injured.
  • The deadly Cat 4B cyclone slammed the Indian Ocean island with sustained winds of  231km (143 miles) per hour and wind gusts exceeding 275kph.
  • The storm has destroyed about 4,000 structures, mostly homes, and dozens of schools, leaving up to 15,000 people homeless.
  • Much of the infrastructure in several cities have also been destroyed, with vast areas submerged under up to 3 feet of water.

• Honduras.  Death toll has risen to 360 following a massive prison fire that destroyed large parts of the Comayagua complex located about 100km (60 miles) north of the in Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

• Disaster declaration renewed in Texas
• Drought 2012
• Texas drought kills 500 million trees

• US 2011 Mega Disasters Costs Exceed $52 Billion*
• Billion-dollar disasters of 2011 [Updated]

Deadly Cat 4B Cyclone Giovanna Slams Madagascar

Giovanna rips through Madagascar with destructive winds and torrential rain

Giovanna slammed the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar as a Category 4B Cyclone with sustained winds of  231km (143 miles) per hour and wind gusts exceeding 275kph.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 14

[February 14, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,492 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Madagascar. Cyclone Giovanna slammed the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar as a Category 4B stormwith sustained winds of  231km (143 miles) per hour and wind gusts exceeding 275kph.
  • The deadly storm destroyed or damaged scores of buildings, destroyed trees and caused power shutdowns in at least two towns, the capital, Antananarivo, killing at least one person in Brickaville, and eastern port city of Tamatave, according to early reports.
  • Officials warned scale of devastation could match or exceed the 1994 disaster caused by Cyclone Geralda which killed more than 200 people and left 500,000 homeless.
  • In 2008, wind damage and severe flooding by Cyclone Ivan caused much devastation to  Sainte Marie Island and mainland Madegascar, leaving about 270 people dead or missing and 330,000  others homeless, destroying about 200,000 hectares of  crops and leaving thousands without food.

Other Global Disasters

• Albania. Prime Minister of  Albania has declared 4 (of 12) counties of Shkodër, Kukës, Dibër, Korçë and the district of Librazhd as natural disaster areas due to worsening weather conditions, a report said.

• Philippines. Widespread flooding in the Philippines has left at least a dozen people dead or injured and tens of thousands displaced.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

• War on Nature: Danube Dynamited
• Europe’s Big Freeze Deepens: Hundreds Dead
• Deadly Freeze: Bosnia Declares a State of Emergency
• State of Emergency Declared in S. Bulgaria after Severe Flooding
• The Death of Homo Sapiens Sapiens (Part 1)