Global Disasters/ Significant Events – May 23, 2016

Tropical Storm ROANU displaces more than 1.3 million in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

More than 1 million people have been evacuated in Bangladesh following the devastation caused by Tropical Storm ROANU.

The storm made landfall in Bangladesh on 21 May, killing dozens of people and destroying or damaging  about 100,000 houses across 15 districts. The Chittagong, Noakhali, Lakshmipur and Chandpur districts being among the worst hit, said the Bangladeshi Department of Disaster Management.

Sri Lanka

Floods and landslides triggered by Tropical Storm ROANU have affected 400,000 people across Sri Lanka, since May 15.

The storm related disasters have killed about 90, and left 116 others missing.  The floods have displaced about 300,000 people. “The majority of the displaced are in Colombo and Gampaha districts. Water, sanitation and hygiene, health, shelter and food have been identified as priorities.” OCHA reported.

Maldives

Continuous heavy rainfall and storm surges on 15 islands have  damaged/destroyed homes and properties.

Micronesia

All four island states of Micronesia remain under States of Emergency due to severe drought which continues to affect 100,000 people. Yap and the Chuuk Northwest region are the worst affected. The Government reports that food security for the outlying islands is a serious concern with saltwater intrusion destroying taro patches, the main staple crop. Yap State is currently providing food assistance to residents of the outlying islands. [UN OCHA]

Marshall Islands

Despite recent rainfall, an estimated 21,000 people remain severely affected by El Niño-induced drought across the Marshall Islands. Food baskets are being prepared for distribution to people in the outer islands. An outbreak of conjunctivitis or pinkeye (inflammation of the eye) was also reported in Majuro.
Health officials have linked the outbreak to the limited water available for handwashing. [UN OCHA]

Deadly Floods Displace Thousands in Malawi

A least 12 feared dead amid heavy rain, severe flooding in Malawi

Hundreds of houses in various parts of Chibanja, Chibavi, and Chiputula townships have collapsed, according to local reports.

About 145mm of rain fell in less than 24 hours, causing death and destruction in multiple areas.

In 2015, more than 100 people were killed and up to 200,000 others displaced after floodwaters submerged about 650 square kilometer of the landlocked country [pop: ~17million] in southeast Africa.

Related News Links

• http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/
• https://malawi24.com/
• http://www.nyasatimes.com/
• http://www.faceofmalawi.com/

Powerful Aftershock Rattles Chilean Coast

M6.6 aftershock strikes WSW of Illapel, Chile

Centered at 31.747°S, 71.629°W the aftershock occurred at a depth of 34.3km, reported USGS/EHP.

The quake didn’t generate a destructive tsunami.

List of recent Chilean events measuring ≥6.0

M6.6, 45km WSW of Illapel, Chile 2015-09-21 17:40:00 UTC 34.3 km

M6.3, 52km W of Illapel, Chile 2015-09-21 05:39:33 UTC 22.8 km
M6.2, 82km W of La Ligua, Chile 2015-09-19 12:52:19 UTC 10.6 km
M6.1, 69km SW of Ovalle, Chile 2015-09-19 09:07:08 UTC 23.2 km
M6.3, 90km NW of Valparaiso, Chile 2015-09-18 09:10:44 UTC 8.7 km
M6.7, 53km W of Illapel, Chile 2015-09-17 04:10:30 UTC 30.1 km
M6.5, 54km S of Ovalle, Chile 2015-09-17 03:55:06 UTC 35.0 km
M6.4, 64km NW of Illapel, Chile 2015-09-17 01:41:09 UTC 35.0 km
M7.0, 25km W of Illapel, Chile 2015-09-16 23:18:42 UTC 30.9 km
M6.2, 70km W of Illapel, Chile 2015-09-16 23:16:05 UTC 10.0 km
M6.1, 44km WSW of Illapel, Chile 2015-09-16 23:03:56 UTC 10.0 km
M6.4, 58km W of Illapel, Chile 2015-09-16 22:59:13 UTC 22.0 km
M8.3, 46km W of Illapel, Chile 2015-09-16 22:54:33 UTC 25.0km

Chile Quake Update – 21 September 2015

M8.3 quake leaves 9,000+ Chileans homeless

More than 9,000 people were left homeless after a large earthquake and several powerful aftershocks hit offshore central Chile last week, officials said.

Previously, the official had put the number of people left homeless after the quake at around 3,500. The substantial increase came after officials assessed the damage near the epicenter in the Coquimbo region, about than 260 kilometers north of the capital, Santiago.

The 8.3 magnitude quake struck on September 16, killing at least 13 people, with four others still missing, said a senior official.

The total cost of damage and the number of injuries from the quake have not yet been released.

Latest Significant Aftershocks

Centered at 31.585°S, 71.712°W the strong aftershock, measuring 6.3Mw, occurred at a depth of about 22.8km, reported USGS/EHP.

The aftershock was timed at 05:39:33UTC on 2015-09-21.

Refugee, Migrant Arrivals by Sea Surpass a Record 430,000: IOM

Updated

More than 432,000 refugees, migrants arrive in Europe by sea since January, with 2,748 recorded fatalities

An estimated 432,761 asylum-seeking refugees and migrants have reached Europe by sea in 2015 so far this year (as of September 10, 2015), reported the International Organization for Migration (IOM). “This figure is double the amount of arrivals in the Mediterranean for the entire 2014, emphasizing the scale of the current migration emergency.”

About 70% of the arrivals were registered in Greece (309,356 people), and 28% in Italy (121,139 people). At least 2,748 migrants have lost their lives in the Mediterranean Sea (year to September 10), while 2,223  migrant deaths were recorded in 2014, according to Missing Migrants*.

Greece, the largest arrival portal, registered about 246,000 people: over 70% came from Syria alone (175,375), while the other main countries of origin were Afghanistan (50,177), Pakistan (11,289), and Iraq (9,059) between January 1 and August 31. (Additionally, more than 50,000 migrants and refugees have arrived in Greece since the beginning of September, IOM estimates).

Italy recorded 116,149 arrivals during the same period—a 3% increase compared with last year—with the bulk of refugees and migrants coming from Eritrea (30,708), Nigeria (15,113), Somalia (8,790), Sudan (7,126), Syria (6,710), and Gambia (5,514), said the report.

At various border crossings between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) IOM staff recorded that more than 3,000 migrants were in the area passing the borders in groups of 50 every 20 minutes in recent days. Fewer than 50% of the migrants and refugees were nationals from Iraq and Syria, most of them families with little children. The rest were mainly nationals from Afghanistan and Pakistan along with some from Sub-Saharan Africa. Many were also speaking Greek, confirming the fact that along with recent arrivals, there were also those who have lived for years in Greece, wanting now to head to Northern and Western Europe.

More than 450,000 migrants have entered Germany so far this year, with a total of at least 800,000  expected for all of 2015.

*[Some 39 migrants, including 4 infants and 11 older children, drowned on their way to Greece in two separate incidents last weekend, reported AP. ]

Related Links

• ISIL Terraforming Syria for Israeli Expansion September 11, 2015
• Half of Syria’s Prewar Population Have Fled Their Homes August 31, 2015

2.1 Million Displaced in Nigeria: IOM

‘Intensification of attacks by insurgents’ raises Nigeria IDP total from 1.3 to 2.1 million since June

More than 2.1 million Nigerians or 300,000 households are now internally displaced in northern Nigeria, based on Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) of International Organization for Migration (IOM), said a report.

“The increase in the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the 1.3 million recorded in the June DTM report can be attributed to the intensification of attacks carried-out by the insurgents, as well as to improved access to previously inaccessible areas of Borno State, where the IDP population is now well over 1.6 million.”

 

Floods, Landslides Destroy Thousands of Myanmar Homes

EWEs force mass displacement in Myanmar

Multiple disasters caused by extreme weather events (EWEs) across 12 of Myanmar’s 14 provinces have destroyed thousands of homes, leaving [an additional] 385,000 households (3% of population) homeless.

Heavy storms, floods and landslides have destroyed thousands of homes, affecting 1.6 million people and flooding more than 1.4 million acres of farmland, WFO reported.

The disasters have also destroyed 972,000 acres of standing crops, especially paddy rice, 36,000 acres of fish and shrimp ponds, and more than 20,000 heads of cattle.

“Severe damage to roads, bridges and railways is making these ongoing relief and recovery efforts extra challenging,” said the report.

“Compounding an existing crisis: Out of the six provinces hit hardest by the monsoonal floods, four have been the stage of recurrent intercommunal tensions since June 2012 that have displaced more than 660 000 people, making those regions especially vulnerable to the impacts of the floods.”

Half of Syria’s Prewar Population Have Fled Their Homes

Civil war displaces 11.6 million Syrians

Syria’s bloody civil war has forced half of the country’s prewar population to flee their homes.

At least 7.6 million Syrians are internally displaced, and an additional 4 million have fled the country, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).  The population at the start of the civil war was 23 million. Countries hosting the largest number of refugees are

• Turkey: 1.8 million
• Lebanon: 1.1 million
• Iraq: 230,000
• Egypt: 140,000
• Jordan: 600,000 (Jordan insists there are 1.4 million Syrian refugees in the country, a figure equal to 20 percent of the kingdom’s population, said a report.)

In 2013, 9,500 Syrians were displaced per day on average. By July 2014, the total number of internally displaced people (IDPs) reached 6.4 million, a third of the entire population of the country. An additional three million Syrians have sought refuge in neighbouring countries. A stable middle-income country that hosted refugees from all over the region and beyond just four years ago, Syria is now experiencing a displacement and protection crisis of a magnitude the world has not seen for many years. [internal-displacement.org]

“This is the biggest refugee population from a single conflict in a generation,” said UN refugee chief.

A large number of Syrians have been killed in the four-and-a-half year bloody civil war; however, the figures suggested are unreliable.

Tens of Millions of People in China Affected by Extreme Weather Events

Floods kill 252 people, leave 55 missing, cost China $18.4 billion so far this year

Deadly floods have affected about 59.32 million people in 29 provincial regions across China, causing direct economic losses of 117.6 billion yuan (18.4 billion U.S. dollars), according to the latest figures released by the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, the official Xinhua news reported.

The report did not reveal the number of people that have been displaced across the affected regions. However, Fire-Earth Disaster Models show an average of one person is displaced for every  25  people affected by extreme weather events in China.

The provinces of Fujian, Jiangsu and Zhejiang were the most severely affected areas, said the report.

More than 1 million affected in NW China drought

Drought has affected more than a million people in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, said the regional authorities, according to a report.

About 1.05 million people in 12 areas have been short of drinking water since May. “More than half these people are in need of basic supplies while 450,000 are short of drinking water.”

Drought has damaged at least 170,000 hectares of cropland, totally destroying some. “Autumn harvest yields in the region are expected to be greatly reduced.”

“The drought has also left 720,000 livestock short of drinking water, resulting in economic losses of about 500 million yuan (78.2 million U.S.dollars),” according to the report.

Back to Back Rainstorms Destroy Thousands of Homes in China

Deadly storms destroy homes, crops and infrastructure in central and southern China

Extreme weather events continue to wreak havoc across vast swathes of central and southern China, destroying homes, crops and public infrastructure.

Back-to-back storms have affected about a million people, forcing 150,000 to flee their homes in several Chinese provinces, reported the official Xinhua news.

“In central China’s Hunan Province, more than 9,000 people have been relocated since a rainstorm started on Wednesday, according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters.”

At least four people have died and another five are missing after in Liancheng County, eastern Fujian Province, after severe flooding swamped the streets and cut off power, early Wednesday, said the report.

More than 60,000 hectares of crops have been destroyed or damaged.

1.7 Million Children Seriously Affected by Ukraine Conflict: UNICEF

GLOBAL CONFLICTS FOR NATURAL RESOURCES &
‘STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE’
STATE TERRORISM
WAR CRIMES
MASS MURDER
MASS DISPLACEMENT
CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY
HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE
SCENARIOS: 911, 909, 717, 606, 444, 411,
222, 220, 219, 201, 200, 071, 069, 04, 02
.

Ukraine Conflict Forces 147 Schools to Close

Conflict in Ukraine has forced 147 schools to close in parts of Donetsk Oblast where fighting continues, and disrupted the education of some 50,000 children since September 1, said the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in a statement.

“The situation for more than 1.7 million children affected by the growing crisis in eastern Ukraine remains extremely serious. Since March 2014, over 1 million people have been displaced from the conflict-affected areas, including nearly 530,000 people within Ukraine, of whom at least 130,000 are children.”

Some of the schools have been destroyed, while others remain closed due to safety concerns, said UNICEF. “In government-controlled areas 187 educational institutions have been damaged or destroyed.”

Eastern Ukraine:Humanitarian Impact of the Conflict
16 December 2014 – Reliefweb/ACAPS

Death toll in Ukrainian conflict has more than doubled since mid-August, from over 2,000 to at least 4,707¹ as of December 16, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

“Violence has been ongoing in eastern Ukraine despite the ceasefire of 5 September. Heavy fighting and shelling have increased the number of killed and wounded, and between mid-September and mid-December, the number of registered internally displaced increased by over 266,000. A new ceasefire was announced for 9 December, with differing reports as to whether it has been violated.”

Ukraine Disaster Summary

• At least 4,707¹ people have been killed (including 298 from flight MH-17) and 10,322 others wounded in eastern Ukraine (source: OHCHR/WHO).
• About 5.2 million people live in conflict-affected areas.
• About 1.7 million children have been affected.
• At least 138 children killed or wounded.
• Some 542,080 people have been internally displaced.
  • Internally displaced women: 271,000
  • Internally displaced children: 130,274
• Total refugees and asylum seekers who fled to Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Moldova: 597,956
• Most refugees left with few belongings and are in need of shelter, food and non-food assistance, placing pressure on neighboring regions,” said OCHA.[Sources: OHCHR 15/12/2014, UN 20/11/2014, UNICEF 12/12/2014, UN 15/12/2014]

¹This is a very conservative estimate of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine and World Health Organization based on available official data. These totals include: Ukrainian armed forces casualties as reported by the Ukrainian authorities; 298 people from flight MH-17; and casualties reported by civil medical establishments and local administrations of Donetsk and Luhansk regions: civilians and some members of armed groups (without distinguishing them). OHCHR and WHO believe that actual fatality numbers are considerably higher.

Related Links

• 4,000+ Killed in Ukraine Conflict: UN November 1, 2014

Iraq violence killed 1,468 in November: Report

TERRORISM
FOREIGN-AIDED INSURGENCY
IRAQ MASSACRES 
MASS DISPLACEMENT
MAJOR DISASTERS
SCENARIOS 444, 202, 080, 070, 069, 04, 02
.

Iraq Violence: 1,468 killed, thousands wounded

According to Iraq Body Count, at least 1,468 civilians were killed in Iraq in November. The UN casualty figures for the month are 1,232 killed and 2,434 wounded. (UN Figures exclude the casualty toll in Anbar province.)

“With nearly 12,000 [15,914 according to IBC] people killed and nearly 22,000 injured since the beginning of 2014, Iraqis continue to be subjected to the unspeakable horrors of killing, maiming, reign of terror, displacement, extreme forms of intolerance and poverty,” said the UN envoy and UNAMI chief in a statement.

“I take this opportunity to go on encouraging Iraq’s political, religious and social leaders to act decisively to rise above their differences in order to resolve the pending political, social and economic problems, and restore confidence among Iraq’s communities, more particularly its disaffected groups, as part of consolidating the democratic process,” he said.

Related Links

• Iraq Casualty Figures for October 2014  November 2, 2014
• Iraq’s Violent Deaths Reach Nearly 2,000 in September  October 1, 2014
• Iraq: Thousands More Killed, More Than a Million Displaced  September 1, 2014

• About 3,000 People Killed in Iraq in June July 1, 2014
• Saudi-Backed Terrorists Force 1 Million to Flee Iraqi Provinces June 11, 2014
• Terrorists Seize Iraq’s Nineveh Province June 10, 2014
• Iraqi Massacre Continues Unabated June 3, 2014

• Unending Iraqi Massacre: 1,013 Killed in April May 4, 2014
• More than 3,200 People Killed in Iraq in 2014 Posted on April 6, 2014
• Global Disasters/ Significant Events – March 2, 2014 March 2, 2014
• Bloodbath in Iraq Continues Unabated February 3, 2014

• UNAMI 2013 Casualty Stats for Acts of terrorism and Violence in Iraq
• Every Day a Major Disaster Day in Iraq  October 1, 2013
• Iraq Carnage Negates All Human Values August 29, 2013
• Destabilization of Middle East Intensifies 26, 2013
• The Financial Legacy of Iraq and Afghanistan April 1, 2013
• US, UK Munitions ‘Cause Birth Defects’ in Iraq October 14, 2012
• Iraq Ecocide Nears Totality August 1, 2009

‘Hundreds of thousands have fled’ their homes in NE Nigeria

Five+ million  people are food insecure across 11 states in N. Nigeria: OCHA

More than 400,000 people in northeastern Nigeria have been forced to flee their homes amid escalating violence by militant  group Boko Haram, creating a major crisis, aid agencies say.

“There’s a major crisis going on in the northeast, and it’s not being recognized for the crisis it is,” said the country director for the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Nigeria. “Since late August, the insurgency movement has been aggressively and progressively taking Adamawa State over and establishing their presence, and what this means is that hundreds of thousands have fled.”

The mass displacement has left “countless” people without access to food, water, shelter, medical care and other basic necessities, said the Relief web.

“You’re talking about huge movements of populations and these people flee with nothing,” said the IRC director in Nigeria. “These are surprise attacks, so people literally come with only their shirts on their backs. They don’t know anybody, they don’t have anything and many aren’t getting anything.”

Worsening Crisis

More than 1.5 million people have been internally displaced since May 2013, when the Nigerian government first declared a state of emergency in the northeastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, government sources said. Up to 180,000 have taken refuge in neighboring Chad, Niger and Cameroon, the European Union aid body ECHO said.

Food Insecurity

More than five million people are food insecure across 11 states in northern Nigeria this year, said OCHA.

“The crisis that is playing out in northeast Nigeria is always hitting the most vulnerable hardest,” said the UN regional humanitarian coordinator for the Sahel. “We’ve already seen an impact on children, with a big jump in numbers of moderate acute malnutrition in the last six months and there are early indications of big drops in agricultural production in the three states of emergency. And at the rate things are going at the moment, the situation could well get worse.”

Iraq Casualty Figures for October 2014

TERRORISM
FOREIGN-AIDED INSURGENCY
IRAQ MASSACRES 
MASS DISPLACEMENT
MAJOR DISASTERS
SCENARIOS 444, 202, 080, 070, 069, 04, 02
.

Iraq Violence: 1,800 Killed, Thousands Wounded

According to Iraq Body Count, at least 1,797 civilians were killed in Iraq in October. The figure includes hundreds of victims executed by the IS terrorist group.

UN Casualty Figures for October 2014, Anbar province excluded

According to casualty figures recently released by UNAMI, a total of at least 1,273 people were killed and another 2,010 were injured in acts of terrorism and violence in October*.

The number of civilians killed was 856 (including 139 civilian police), while the number of civilians injured was 1,490 (including 172 civilian police. A further 417 members of the Iraqi Security Forces were killed and 520 were injured (including Peshmerga, SWAT and militias fighting alongside IA / not including casualties from Anbar Operations).

*CAVEATS: Data do not take into account casualties of the current IA operation in Anbar, for which UNAMI was unable to obtain figures for the reporting period. In general, UNAMI has been hindered in effectively verifying casualties in conflict areas. In some cases, UNAMI could only partially verify certain incidents. UNAMI has also received, without being able to verify, reports of large numbers of casualties along with unknown numbers of persons who have died from secondary effects of violence after having fled their homes due to exposure to the elements, lack of water, food, medicines and health care. For these reasons, the figures reported have to be considered as the absolute minimum.

Civilian Casualties (killed and injured) per governorate Anbar excluded, Baghdad was the worst affected Governorate with 1,362 civilian casualties (379 killed, 983 injured), followed by Salahadin (167 killed, 204 injured), Diyala (100 killed, 174 injured), Nineveh (87 killed, 9 injured), Babil (61 killed, 29 injured), Kirkuk (16 killed, 47 injured), Karbala (17 killed, 40 injured).

Operations in Anbar According to information obtained by UNAMI from the Health Directorate in Anbar, the total civilian casualties in Anbar until 30 October inclusive were 233 killed and 584 injured, with 52 killed and 332 injured in Ramadi and 181 killed and 252 injured in Fallujah. [Source: UNAMI]

Related Links

• Iraq’s Violent Deaths Reach Nearly 2,000 in September  October 1, 2014
• Iraq: Thousands More Killed, More Than a Million Displaced  September 1, 2014

• About 3,000 People Killed in Iraq in June July 1, 2014
• Saudi-Backed Terrorists Force 1 Million to Flee Iraqi Provinces June 11, 2014
• Terrorists Seize Iraq’s Nineveh Province June 10, 2014
• Iraqi Massacre Continues Unabated June 3, 2014

• Unending Iraqi Massacre: 1,013 Killed in April May 4, 2014
• More than 3,200 People Killed in Iraq in 2014 Posted on April 6, 2014
• Global Disasters/ Significant Events – March 2, 2014 March 2, 2014
• Bloodbath in Iraq Continues Unabated February 3, 2014

• UNAMI 2013 Casualty Stats for Acts of terrorism and Violence in Iraq
• Every Day a Major Disaster Day in Iraq  October 1, 2013
• Iraq Carnage Negates All Human Values August 29, 2013
• Destabilization of Middle East Intensifies 26, 2013
• The Financial Legacy of Iraq and Afghanistan April 1, 2013
• US, UK Munitions ‘Cause Birth Defects’ in Iraq October 14, 2012
• Iraq Ecocide Nears Totality August 1, 2009

4,000+ Killed in Ukraine Conflict: UN

GLOBAL CONFLICTS FOR NATURAL RESOURCES &
‘STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE’
STATE TERRORISM
WAR CRIMES
MASS MURDER
MASS DISPLACEMENT
CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY
HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE
SCENARIOS 911, 909, 717, 606, 444, 411,
222, 220, 219, 201, 200, 071, 069, 04, 02
.

5.2 million affected, 4,000 killed, 9,000 wounded, 1 million displaced

The death toll in Ukrainian conflict has doubled since mid-August, from over 2,000 to at least 4,035¹ as of October 29, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

UN Situation Report No.18 as of 31 October 2014

Ukraine Disaster Summary

• At least 4,035 people have been killed (including 298 from flight MH-17) and 9,336 wounded in eastern Ukraine (source: OHCHR/WHO).
• More than 99,000 IDPs have registered under the recently adopted Government Decree 509.
• About 5.2 million people live people living in conflict-affected areas.
• Some 442,219 people have been internally displaced (source: SES).
• At least 488,466 people have fled to neighboring countries. “Of these, 400,996 have sought refuge in Russia. Most have left with few belongings and are in need of shelter, food and non-food assistance, placing pressure on neighboring regions,” said OCHA.

Overview of Population Displacement

¹[This is a very conservative estimate of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine and World Health Organization based on available official data. These totals include: Ukrainian armed forces casualties as reported by the Ukrainian authorities; 298 people from flight MH-17; and casualties reported by civil medical establishments and local administrations of Donetsk and Luhansk regions: civilians and some members of armed groups (without distinguishing them). OHCHR and WHO believe that actual fatality numbers are considerably higher.]

Related Links

• 1 Million Ukrainians Displaced by Conflict September 2, 2014
• Death Toll in Ukraine Conflict Reaches 2,086 – UN Posted on August 13, 2014
• Russia Declares State of Emergency as Refugees Flood Rostov Region Posted on July 2, 2014
• Russia ‘Forced’ to Hold Military Drills in Response to Ukraine Op: Moscow Posted on April 24, 2014
• Ukraine Launches ‘Anti-Terrorist’ Operation Against Separatists Posted on April 15, 2014
• The Next Phase of Collapse: Wars for Resources Posted on March 5, 2014
• “Sea of Police” in Ukraine, Looting in Argentina, Hunger Strike… Posted on December 11, 2013

Deadly Landslide Buries Scores of Homes in Sri Lanka

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
DEADLY LANDLIDES
LOSS OF HABITAT
MASS DISPLACEMENT
CROP DISASTERS
SCENARIOS  900, 888, 444, 111, 071, 047, 027, 022, 09, 02
.

ERE unleash deadly landslide killing a dozen, leaving hundreds missing in Sri Lanka

A deadly landslide caused by extreme monsoon rains buried score of homes with hundreds of occupants in Meiriyabedda tea plantation near the town of Haldummulla in Uva Province, Sri Lankan officials said.

“Rescue operations have recovered 10 bodies so far,” said a spokesman for the Disaster Management Center, adding that the landslide was more than 3km long.

“At least 250 people are still missing and 140 homes are buried.”

Landslides in Sri Lanka killed at least two dozen people and left thousands displaced earlier this year.

EREs Kill Dozens, Displace 36,000 in Nicaragua

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
DEADLY FLOODS & MUDSLIDES
MAJOR DISASTERS
MASS DISPLACEMENT
SCENARIOS 888, 444, 111, 070, 066, 047, 027, 023, 022, 03, 02
.

EREs kill dozens, destroy thousands of homes, displace tens of thousands in Nicaragua

Extreme rain events (EREs) since September have unleashed deadly floods in Nicaragua killing at least two dozen people,  destroying or damaging thousands of homes and leaving more than 36,000 people homeless.

The rains have severely affected 17 departments in the country, and have impacted El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, according to local reports.

70,000 Syrian Kurds Flee to Turkey Fearing Genocide

GENOCIDE
TERRORISM
FOREIGN-AIDED INSURGENCY
MASS MURDER
MASS DISPLACEMENT
MAJOR DISASTERS
SCENARIOS 600, 444, 411, 202, 201, 070, 069, 04, 02
.

Islamic State seizes more than 100 Kurdish villages in Syria

About 70,000 Syrian Kurds, fearing genocide by the advancing Islamic State terrorists, have fled into Turkey since Friday.

The Islamic State terrorists have seized more than 100 villages near the Turkish border and advanced on the frontier town of Kobani, said Reuters.

“A Kurdish politician from Turkey who visited Kobani on Saturday said locals had told him that Islamic State fighters were beheading people as they went from village to village.”

“Rather than a war this is a genocide operation … They are going into the villages and cutting the heads of people and showing them to the villagers,” a deputy for Turkey’s pro-Kurdish HDP told Reuters.

“Kobani is facing the fiercest and most barbaric attack in its history,” the head of Syria’s Kurdish Democratic Union told AP.

At least eleven Kurdish civilians, including young boys, have been executed in the villages near Kobani, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Related Links

• Terrorists Seize Iraq’s Nineveh Province  June 10, 2014
• Homs After June 10, 2014

Killer MARIO: States of Calamity Declared in Philippines

STATES OF CALAMITY
MEGA DISASTERS
EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC HAZARDS
DEADLY STORMS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS (ERES)
SEVERE FLOODS
MASS DISPLACEMENT
LOSS OF CROPS & LIVESTOCK
SCENARIOS 900, 888, 444, 111, 078, 071, 070, 066, 047, 027, 023, 09, 02
.

Deadly Storm Displaces More than 200,000 in the Philippines

The Mega Disaster has left 206,368 people (45,255 families) homeless, said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

Tropical Storm Fung-Wong, known locally as TS “Mario,” has killed at least 5 people, leaving 7 others injured and 711,069 persons (154,204 families) affected in the Philippines, said NDRRMC.

The deadly storm has caused large-scale destruction in Ilocos, Central and Southern Luzon, Central Luzon, Cordillera, Bicol and Metro Manila.  Some 313 areas remain submerged under up to 2 meters of floodwater.

Fung-Wong was located 19.4ºN, 120.1ºE about 143km NNW Laoag City, as of 1:00 pm local time, said NDRRMC.

The storm has intensified packing maximum sustained winds of 105km/h,  moving NNE toward southern Taiwan.

States of Calamity

States of calamity have been declared for the following areas, as of posting.

• Cebu City
• Marikina City
• The town of Cainta in Rizal
• Ilocos Norte

Related Links

• Tens of Thousands Evacuated as Floods Shut Down Manila September 19, 2014

Iraq: Thousands More Killed, More Than a Million Displaced

TERRORISM
FOREIGN-AIDED INSURGENCY
IRAQI MASSACRE 
MASS DISPLACEMENT
MAJOR DISASTERS
SCENARIOS 444, 202, 080, 070, 069, 04, 02
.

 ‘Acts of inhumanity on an unimaginable scale’ perpetrated in Iraq —UN

About 1,600 civilians were killed and at least 1,400 others wounded last month, according to figures provided by Iraq Body Count and UN’s mission to the country.

Between January and August 2014, at least 10,000 people have been killed and as many wounded in Iraq.

Islamic State Terrorists

However, the figures do not include hundreds of Yazidis murdered by the IS terrorists.

“Last week, the UN said it had received reports of at least 650 male inmates of Badouch Prison in Mosul being shot dead by IS militants on 10 July. Witnesses and survivors said inmates claiming to be Sunni were taken away, while Shia and members of other religious or ethnic communities were ordered into ditches and killed, BBC reported.

‘Ethnic Cleansing’ and Mass Displacement

Reports from Iraq “reveal acts of inhumanity on an unimaginable scale,” says the UN Human Rights Deputy Commissioner.

The terrorists that run the so-called “Islamic State,” formerly known as ISIS/ISIL, and their allied Sunni insurgents  have taken control of large parts of northern and western Iraq, committing “systematic and intentional attacks on civilians” that include targeted killings, forced conversions, slavery, sexual abuse, and the besieging of entire communities.

“Thousands of people have been killed, the majority of them civilians, and more than a million others have been forced to flee their homes,” said the report.

There is “strong evidence” that international human rights and humanitarian law is being seriously violated in areas under IS control, said the UN Human Rights Commission.

“Christian, Yazidi, Turkmen, Shabak, Kaka’i, Sabeans and Shia communities had ‘all been targeted through particularly brutal persecution’ and that IS had ‘ruthlessly carried out what may amount to ethnic and religious cleansing,'” said the report.

“Many have been killed directly; others have been besieged and deprived of food, water or medication, said the UN Deputy Human Rights Commissioner.

“Hundreds of thousands of civilians from these communities have fled to remote and desolate locations where unconfirmed reports indicate that scores of children, elderly people and people with disabilities have been dying as a result of exhaustion and deprivation.”

Sex Slaves

At least 2,250 Yazidi women and children are being held hostage by IS terrorists. Most of the female hostages have been allotted as slaves to IS fighters, said the report.

Related Links

• About 3,000 People Killed in Iraq in June July 1, 2014
• Saudi-Backed Terrorists Force 1 Million to Flee Iraqi Provinces June 11, 2014
• Terrorists Seize Iraq’s Nineveh Province June 10, 2014
• Iraqi Massacre Continues Unabated June 3, 2014

• Unending Iraqi Massacre: 1,013 Killed in April May 4, 2014
• More than 3,200 People Killed in Iraq in 2014 Posted on April 6, 2014
• Global Disasters/ Significant Events – March 2, 2014 March 2, 2014
• Bloodbath in Iraq Continues Unabated February 3, 2014

• UNAMI 2013 Casualty Stats for Acts of terrorism and Violence in Iraq
• Every Day a Major Disaster Day in Iraq  October 1, 2013
• Iraq Carnage Negates All Human Values August 29, 2013
• Destabilization of Middle East Intensifies 26, 2013
• The Financial Legacy of Iraq and Afghanistan April 1, 2013
• US, UK Munitions ‘Cause Birth Defects’ in Iraq October 14, 2012
• Iraq Ecocide Nears Totality August 1, 2009

Floods Wreak Havoc Across India

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC HAZARDS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
MAJOR DISASTERS
DEADLY FLOODING
CROP DISASTERS
MASS DISPLACEMENT
SCENARIOS 444, 111, 101, 078, 070, 066, 023, 03, 02
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More than 1.25 million people affected by flooding in the state of Assam alone

Extreme rain events continue to flood rivers in the NE Indian state of Assam including the massive Brahmaputra and its tributaries, which have risen above danger level, said officials.

Floodwaters have inundated more than 2,000 villages in 16 districts across the state, killing scores of people, affecting more than 1.25 million, and leaving about 200,000 homeless.

Severe floods have also affected the states of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha.

About 3,000 People Killed in Iraq in June

TERRORISM
FOREIGN-AIDED INSURGENCY
IRAQI MASSACRE 
MASS DISPLACEMENT
MAJOR DISASTERS
SCENARIOS 444, 070, 202, 04
STATE OF EMERGENCY
.

Iraqi Massacre Claims Highest Monthly Toll in 8 Years

At least 2,417 people were killed in Iraq in June 2014, mostly civilians, according to figures released by the United Nations.

The death toll includes 1,531 civilians and 886 members of Iraq’s security forces killed in terrorist attacks and violence, said UNIRAQ, the UN mission to Iraq.

However, the UN casualty figures excludes the Anbar province in western Iraq, which is mostly controlled by armed Sunni insurgents.

The monthly death toll is Iraq’s highest since May 2007.

Some 2,287 others were wounded in the attacks last month, the UN reported.

According to Iraq Body Count the June total was 1,934 civilians killed, including 234 terrorists by government forces.

The casualty figures released by the Iraqi government are as follows:

• Dead:  1,922 people killed in June, including 1,393 civilians, 380 soldiers/security personnel and 149 police officers.
• Wounded: 2,610 people were injured in June, including 1,745 civilians, 644 soldiers and 221 police personnel.

Mass Displacement

At least one million people have fled their homes from Nineveh and Anbar provinces since the so-called ISIS terrorists seized Iraqi cities in northern Iraq. 

2014 toll now stands at more than 7,000 civilians killed and thousands of others wounded.

Some 8,868 Iraqis, including 7,818 civilians and civilian police personnel, were killed in 2013, according to the United Nation’s Assistance (!) Mission in Iraq (UNAMI).

Iraq Body Count puts the number of civilians killed in violent acts at 9,475 for 2013.

Related Links

• Saudi-Backed Terrorists Force 1 Million to Flee Iraqi Provinces
• Posted on June 11, 2014
• Terrorists Seize Iraq’s Nineveh Province
• Posted on June 10, 2014
• >Iraqi Massacre Continues Unabated
• Posted on June 3, 2014

Other Links

• Terrorists Seize Iraq’s Nineveh Province June 10, 2014
• Iraqi Massacre Continues Unabated June 3, 2014

• Unending Iraqi Massacre: 1,013 Killed in April May 4, 2014
• More than 3,200 People Killed in Iraq in 2014 Posted on April 6, 2014
• Global Disasters/ Significant Events – March 2, 2014 March 2, 2014
• Bloodbath in Iraq Continues Unabated February 3, 2014

• UNAMI 2013 Casualty Stats for Acts of terrorism and Violence in Iraq
• Every Day a Major Disaster Day in Iraq  October 1, 2013
• Iraq Carnage Negates All Human Values August 29, 2013
• Destabilization of Middle East Intensifies 26, 2013
• The Financial Legacy of Iraq and Afghanistan April 1, 2013
• US, UK Munitions ‘Cause Birth Defects’ in Iraq October 14, 2012
• Iraq Ecocide Nears Totality August 1, 2009

350,000 Displaced Following Pakistan Army Offensive

INSURGENCY
TERRORISM
MASS DISPLACEMENT
SCENARIOS 444, 411, 202, 070, 04
.

Pakistanis  fleeing North Waziristan amid army offensive against Taliban

At least 350,000 people have fled their homes since the start of an army offensive against Taliban militants in Pakistan’s North Waziristan a week ago, officials say.

While most of them are internally displaced, many entering the nearest town of Banu, a large number of the refugees have fled into the eastern parts of Afghanistan, mostly arriving in the districts of Gurboz, Khost (Matun), Tanni, Nadir Shah Kot and Mando Zai in Khost province, according to UNHCR and other sources.

“The newly arrived women, men and children have trekked the mountainous terrains across Pakistan’s border to seek safety. People are being accommodated with local Afghan communities for now. However, Afghan hosting communities have limited absorption capacity and resources. The urgent needs include shelter, clean drinking water and sanitation,” said the UN refugee agency.

The military offensive began a week ago after a deadly attack on Karachi international airport, claimed jointly by an Uzbek militant group and the Pakistani Taliban.

More than 70,000 children aged 12 or younger are among the refugees, according to FIRE-EARTH Population Models.

“Many of them have never been vaccinated for highly-infectious diseases—like polio—because of a Taliban-imposed ban,” said a report.

North Waziristan has a population of about seven million, and 80% of them are still living in the area as the military strikes escalate, officials said.

Inside Pakistan, the government has confirmed that many of the people have been displaced internally from North Waziristan into the Banu, Dera Ismail Khan and Tank areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

Related Links

• Global Forced Displacement Highest Since WW2 posted on June 20, 2014

Worsening Drought Plagues Syria and Region

WORSENING DROUGHT
WATER FAMINE
FOOD SECURITY THREAT
TERRORIST THREATS
MASS DISPLACEMENT
SCENARIOS 202, 04, 03
.

Drought, Lowest Rainfall in 6 Decades, Pose Latest Threats to Children in Syria and Region

Many parts of Syria have had their lowest rainfall in nearly 60 years, placing more than 4 million children in the war-torn country at even greater risk, according to UNICEF.

Water scarcity in Syria is now so acute that it may soon force more people to leave their homes, exacerbating the refugee situation. Some 9.3  million people  have already been displaced by the conflict.

“In Lebanon and Jordan, meanwhile, tensions between local communities and Syrian refugees are being heightened by competition over limited resources, including dwindling water supplies,” said the report by the UN agency.

“The scarcity of safe water—adding to the impact of the ongoing conflict and the intense summer heat—raises the real risk of more population displacement and the spread of disease among vulnerable children,” said the UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Related Links

• Homs After Posted  on June 10, 2014
• 9.3 Million Syrians Displaced March 15, 2014
• Syria Terror: Children “Targeted by Snipers” November 24, 2013
• Polio Outbreak in Syria Risks Spreading October 29, 2013
• Drought Driving Syria to Collapse September 11, 2010

Disasters, States of Emergency – May 23, 2014

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
HISTORIC FLOODING
DEADLY LANDSLIDES
MEGA DISASTER
MASS DISPLACEMENT
THREAT OF DISEASE EPIDEMICS
SCENARIOS 444, 333, 023, 09, 070
STATES OF EMERGENCY
.

Balkans faces risk of disease after flood disasters

Worst floods ever recorded in the Balkans, which triggered thousands of landslides, have devastated large swathes of Bosnia, Serbia, and Croatia, destroying or damaging more than 100,000 homes, thousands of other buildings and much of the public infrastructure.

The disasters killed dozens of people across the Balkans; however, the death toll might rise because about 600 people are missing or unaccounted for in Serbia.

Tens of thousands of animals also perished in the disasters, creating a very serious health risk for populations in the devastated areas.

Rotting animal carcasses, food and waste in rising temperatures pose a serious risk of contaminating ground and surface waters.

Serbia’s government has made an appeal for disinfectants, quicklime, chlorine bleach and protection gear.

In Bosnia, there is the added danger posed by hundreds of thousands of landmines left over from the Bosnian War (1992-95) that may have been moved by the floodwaters and landslides from marked minefields.

Cost of Damage

Based on the latest damage data available, FIRE-EARTH Models estimate the total cost of damage caused by the historic flooding and landslides across the Balkans at more than $6 billion.

Related Links, Latest Historic Floods

• Balkan Storm Damage Tops $6 Billion: FIRE-EARTH May 21, 2014
• Mass Evacuations as Floods Submerge Towns in Croatia May 19, 2014
• ‘Terrifying’ Floods Affect 1,000,000 Bosnians May 19, 2014
• Balkan Historic Flood Disaster Update May 17, 2014
• Historic Flooding Turns Deadly in Serbia, Bosnia  May 15, 2014
• ‘Historic’ Flooding Submerges Pensacola, FL  April 30, 2014

Other Disasters, States of Emergency

Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, has declared a State of Emergency following widespread damage caused by flooding storms on May 12.

At least 736 homes have reported flood damage in Summit County, with nine of the homes suffering significant structural damage, according to the Falls Mayor.

Siberian Irkutsk region has declared a state of emergency after forest fires spread to local villages, prompting mass evacuations.

Some 77 forest fires have consumed more than 40,000 hectares of land in the region.

Hundreds of people have been evacuated from the village of Dalny, where fires have destroyed two dozen homes, the the Emergency Situations Ministry said, Interfax reported.