Sri Lanka Dengue Outbreak Kills 250, Infects 85,000

Dengue cases in S-L increased 4.3 times compared with recent average

Ministry of Health (MoH) Sri Lanka has reported an increase in the number of dengue cases in the country this year. As many as 85,000 dengue cases, including 250 deaths, have been reported by MoH so far  this year (to July 7, 2017). The number of cases this year has reportedly increased by 4.3 times more than the average number of cases for the same period between 2010 and 2016, said WHO.

“The current dengue fever outbreak occurs in a context of massive heavy rains and flooding and is currently affecting 15 out of 25 districts in Sri Lanka where almost 600,000 people have been affected. Heavy monsoon rains, public failure to clear rain-soaked garbage, standing water pools and other potential breeding grounds for mosquito larvae attribute to the higher number of cases reported in urban and suburban areas.”

Risk Assessment (WHO)

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral infection caused by four dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4). Infection with one serotype provides long-term immunity to the homologous serotype but not to the other serotypes; secondary infections put people at greater risk for severe dengue fever and dengue shock syndrome.

Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are the vectors widely adapted to urban and suburban environments. Dengue fever is endemic in Sri Lanka, and occurs every year, usually soon after rainfall is optimal for mosquito breeding. However DENV-2 has been identified only in low numbers since 2009 and is reportedly over 50% of current specimens which have been serotyped.

The current dengue epidemic is likely to have repercussions on public health in Sri Lanka.

• Additional information available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

Drought and Deluge: 900,000 Sri Lankans Face Famine

Sri Lanka’s Food Production Hit by Extreme Events

Growing food insecurity: Rice production to drop by 40 percent in 2017

Extreme drought followed by floods in Sri Lanka has hit large swaths of cropping areas, threatening the food security of more than 900,000 people in Sri Lanka, said a joint report released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the UN World Food Program (WFP).

Drought conditions in 2016 and early 2017 led to widespread crop failures, especially the rice paddy – the country’s staple food. Total paddy production in 2017 is forecast at 2.7 million tons, about 40 percent less than the last year’s output.

Other crops, including various pulses, chillies and onion, which rely mainly on rainwater, were also heavily damaged by the dry weather, increasing food insecurity, said the report.

The situation was exacerbated by subsequent heavy rainfalls in May. Floods and landslides in the south-western parts of the country caused deaths, large population displacements and damage to infrastructure. The rains did not ease the water supply constraints in the drought-impacted north-central and eastern parts of the country.

 

Sri Lanka Hit by a Deadly Double Whammy

Sri Lanka’s deadly floods exacerbate dengue crisis, warns Save the Children – more rainfall forecast

Hundreds killed or missing, and about 500,000 are displaced in the flooding and mudslides triggered by incessant rains, authorities said.

Meanwhile, a surge of dengue fever cases have been reported by NGOs with 53,000 dengue fever cases recorded across the country since January.

“The humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka right now is alarming. The impact of these early monsoon season downpours has been far more devastating than what we’d normally expect this time of year,” said Save the Children Country Director in Sri Lanka.

“We’re particularly worried we could start seeing a further increase in the number of dengue cases because of the stagnant water that the floods will leave in their wake, which is the last thing needed by families and communities that have already lost so much.”

Additional Information:

• http://reliefweb.int/organization/save-children

Planet Garbage Dump

• CJ Members
• EAC
• OC Teams
• WRK

What other animals drown in their garbage?

[Prepared by FIRE-EARTH Science Team.]

• Presentation available from FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

Background:

• At least 16 killed as rubbish mountain collapses in Colombo, Sri Lanka. A section of the Meethotamulla garbage mountain in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo has collapsed destroying more than 100 houses killing at least 16 people and injuring dozens of others.
  https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0415/867910-sri-lanka-garbage/

• More than 100 people were killed in the collapse of a mountain on trash at a massive garbage dump on the outskirts of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, the state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported. Days after the disaster, relatives still waited for news of others said to be missing.  http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/ethiopia-garbage-dump-collapse/

• The Payatas landslide was a garbage dump collapse at Payatas, Quezon City, Philippines, on July 10, 2000, that officially killed 218 people and left thousands of people homeless. A large pile of garbage first collapsed and then went up in flames which resulted in the destruction of about 100 squatters’ houses.
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payatas_landslide

• India’s Plague, Trash, Drowns Its Garden City During Strike
  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/27/world/asia/indias-plague-trash-drowns-bangalore-its-garden-city.html

• Delhi may drown in its own waste
  http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/delhi-may-drown-in-its-own-waste/story-4fNLlXyv1WyGsuOIu0F4LO.html

• Why Hong Kong is Drowning in its Own Waste with No Buoy in Sight
  http://www.thecultureist.com/2013/07/09/hong-kong-waste-problems/

• Lebanon’s drowning in its own waste!
  https://www.greenprophet.com/2015/08/lebanons-drowning-in-its-own-waste/

• Naples: The Triangle of Death – Naples and parts of Campania region were dubbed “the triangle of death” by British medical journal Lancet Oncology because of the high levels of waste-related carcinogens (cancer-causing toxins) that have polluted air, soil and water. https://feww.wordpress.com/2008/01/18/naples-the-triangle-of-death/

• Smokey Mountain: A large landfill located in Tondo, Manila, consisting of over two million metric tons of waste. “The flammable substances on decomposing waste led to numerous fires which has resulted in many deaths.”  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smokey_Mountain

• Partenope: Naples Garbage Opera                                                                  https://feww.wordpress.com/2008/05/30/naples-garbage-opera-act-ii/

 

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 Flash Floods, Landslides Plague 85% of Sri Lanka

Extreme Rain Events Trigger Flash Floods and Landslides Affecting 22 of 26 Districts in Sri Lanka

At least 43 people have been killed and about 307,000 people displaced by the deadly floods, according to the government.

“At approximately 4.00 pm on Tuesday evening an entire side of the Siripura mountain collapsed into the valley below after receiving torrential rains for two consecutive days. The landslide buried three villages including Piyasenas,” said a report.

Some 220 families  lived in Siripura and the neighboring villages of Pallebage and Elagipitiya; however, only 19 bodies have been retrieved, so far, and hundreds remain missing.

Related Links

• Deadly Floods Affect Hundreds of Thousands in Sri Lanka May 18, 2016

Deadly Floods Affect Hundreds of Thousands in Sri Lanka

Hundreds of families feared buried by landslides in Sri Lanka, dozens confirmed dead

Extreme rain events have triggered large-scale landslides burying several villages in Kegalle District, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) north of the capital, Colombo.

• At least 200,000 people have lost their homes.
• Up to 60 people were confirmed dead, as of posting.
• Hundreds of families are missing, feared buried by landslides.
• More than a dozen people were killed by lightning strikes.
• At least 19 of the country’s 25 districts have experienced flash flooding.
• Severe flooding reported in several cities including Colombo.

 

5.5 Pct of Sri Lankans Affected by Deadly Floods, Landslides

CLIMATE CHANGE DISASTERS
EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
DEADLY FLOODS & LANDSLIDES
CROP DISASTERS
MASS DISPLACEMENT
MAIN SCENARIOS: 900, 888, [500,] 477, 444, 117, 111, 071, 070, 066, 047, 027, 025, 023, 022, 012, 011, 09, 02
.

Daily Situation Report – Sri Lanka Disaster Management Center

Extreme rains, deadly floods and landslides affect 1.1 million in Sri Lanka  

Extreme rain events, deadly floods and landslides across Sri Lanka have affected 5.5% of the population, or 1,121,579 persons (311,623 families), leaving at least 39 people dead, 20 injured and 2 missing since December 20, reported the country’s Disaster Management Center.

The disasters have destroyed 6,500 homes and damaged 18,013 others, displacing at least 50,832 people across 22 of the country’s 29 districts, said the report.

The town of Batticaloa is the worst hit with more than 30,000 people displaced, officials have said.

The towns of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa in the north central province, Sri Lanka’s largest rice-producing region, have experienced severe flooding as days of heavy rain forced the authorities to open the sluice gates on dozens of dams.

The floods have also washed away many roads and railways throughout the country.

Thousands Evacuated amid Severe Flooding in LK, MY, TH

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
FLOOD DISASTER DECLARED
LANDSLIDES
CROP DISASTERS
MASS DISPLACEMENT
MAIN SCENARIOS: 900, 888, [500,] 477, 444, 117, 111, 071, 070, 066, 047, 027, 025, 023, 022, 012, 011, 09, 02
.

Severe Floods Swamp Multiple Regions in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand

Severe flooding caused by northeast monsoon have left about 50,000 homeless in the north central and eastern Sri Lanka, while tens of thousands of others are being evacuated by the military.

The town of Batticaloa is the worst hit with more than 30,000 people displaced, officials have said.

The towns of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa in the north central province, Sri Lanka’s largest rice-producing region, have experienced severe flooding as days of heavy rain forced the authorities to open the sluice gates on dozens of dams.

The floods have also washed away roads and railways throughout the affected regions.

Malaysia

Thousands of people have fled their homes from large areas in the states of Kelantan and Terengganu in NE Malaysia amid severe flooding.

Continued torrential rains in Kelantan and Terengganu, with moderate rains in other states across the Malaysian peninsula is expected throughout the holiday period, said the Malaysian Meteorological Department.

Floods have increased water levels above the danger point in six major rivers in Kelantan, said reports.

Thailand

The Narathiwat province, on the border with Malaysia, has been declared a disaster area, by the provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office, said reports.

Yala, Pattani and Songkhla provinces have also been declared disaster areas due to severe flooding.

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.

EMR Kill Dozens, Displace Tens of Thousands in Sri Lanka

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
EXTREME MONSOON RAINS
MASS DISPLACEMENT
SCENARIOS  070, 023
.

Extreme Monsoon Rains (EMR), Severe Flooding Devastate Large Swathes of Sri Lanka

Flooding and landslides have left dozens of people dead and tens of thousands of others displaced in western and central parts of Sri Lanka.

Severe flash flooding and mudslides triggered by unusually intense monsoon rains have toppled buildings and washed away bridges and destroyed much of the public infrastructure, forcing hundreds of school closures throughout the country, reports said.

The government has deployed both the navy and air force to help with rescue operations in the affected areas, said reports

Sri Lankan men stand on debris of damaged houses in Mathugama, on the outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, June 3, 2014. Many people have died in Sri Lanka from two days of floods and mudslides triggered by unusually heavy monsoon rains, officials said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Drought Severely Affecting Sri Lanka

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENT
WORSENING DROUGHT
.

Severe Drought cutting Sri Lanka’s tea production by half 

Worsening drought in Sri Lanka has cut the country’s tea production by at least 50 percent, affecting the livelihoods of about 400,000 families. 

The rainfall, humidity and cool temperatures in the island’s central highlands have provided a favorable climate for production of high quality tea.

Sri Lanka is the world’s leading exporter of tea accounting for 24% of the global export.

Tea production is the country’s second largest export netting the island about 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2013.

The industry employs about 1.5 million people.

Rainstorms Battering Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Southern Italy

EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS

Extreme Rain Events trigger severe flooding, landslides in Indonesia

A landslide triggered by flooding in North Sumatra, Indonesia, has left at least a dozen people dead and many injured, officials said.

a low-pressure zone residing over southern Thailand and northern Malaysia has dumped more than 300mm of rain in some areas, causing flash flooding.

Thailand

Several southern provinces in Thailand have been ravaged by heavy rains and flash floods since Sunday. Many residents have been evacuated.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, torrential rains since Sunday have caused floods in the oil palm growing states of Johor and Pahang, forcing about a thousand evacuations so far, Reuters reported local media as saying.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s Department of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning, as high winds and heavy rains batter the island country.

“The atmospheric disturbance has intensified into a low pressure area and is located very close to the East coast of Sri-Lanka. Under it’s influence, Showery and windy weather is expected over the country and the suburb sea area.

“Very heavy rain falls (more than 150mm) are also likely at some places.”

Extreme Rain Events Battering Southern and Central Italy

Storms and flooding in central and southern Italy have killed at least two people and forced thousands of evacuations since Sunday.

A train jumped tracks near the town of Cervaro in Italy’s central Lazio region, critically injuring several people.

Other affected regions included Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, and Pescara, reported ANSA.

A migrant boat was reportedly adrift in rough seas off the Calabrian coast with more than 140 people aboard.

Related Links

• Sardinia Declares a State of Emergency due to Cyclone CLEOPATRA Posted on November 19, 2013

Deadly MAHASEN Threatens Bangladesh, Myanmar

MAHASEN kills or injures 10, affects  over 1,600 in Sri Lanka, tracking NE

Hundreds of thousands of people are being evacuated in Bangladesh, after Tropical Storm MAHASEN, named after an ancient Sri Lankan king, pounded the eastern and southern coasts of the island, stranding fishermen, downing trees and inundating entire neighborhoods, said a report.

Tropical Cyclone MAHASEN – Longwave Infrared Image – Dvorak Enhancement 2013/05/15 @ 12:30UTC. Source: CIMSS

The cyclone, tracking northeast through the Bay of Bengal, is forecast to make landfall on Thursday, creating storm surges of up to 6-ft in some coastal areas, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department.

• Although the storm has slightly weakened since Tuesday, it is still being described by UN aid agencies as “life-threatening” for more than 8 million people in Bangladesh, Myanmar (Burma) and NE India.

• The warning severity level in Bangladesh has been raised to seven out of 10 for low-lying areas near Chittagong and the coastal district of Cox’s Bazar.

• The Burmese authorities have relocated some 150,000 people to higher ground, according to reports.

• Tens of thousands of Rohingya, who were displaced by ethnic violence last year and moved to refugee camps in low-lying areas of Myanmar’s Rakhine state, are particularly at risk.

• More than 50 Rohingya evacuees drowned after their boats capsized off western Burma, ahead of MAHASEN’s arrival, reports said.

DISASTER CALENDAR – May 15, 2013 — 
SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,032 Days Left 

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,032 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human  History
• The countdown began on May 15, 2011 …

GLOBAL WARNINGS

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID PLANETARY DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

Floods, Landslides Affect Hundreds of Thousands in Sri Lanka

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,175 Days Left 

[December 23, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,175 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Severe floods hit 14 of Sri Lanka’s 25 districts

Several towns have been under water for a week, as severe floods and landslides destroy or damage thousands of homes.

• Dams and irrigation tanks in many areas have overflowed due to extreme rain events, significantly worsening the severity of the floods.
• At least 100 people are dead or reported missing, and many others injured as a result.
• More than third of a million people have been affected.
• Most of those affected are without adequate food, drinking water, medicine and sanitary facilities, reports said.

United States

• Video Update on Winter Storm 22- 23 December

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

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

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Superstorm, Sandstorm and People Without Homes

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,225 Days Left 

[November 3, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,225 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Superstorm SANDY

Superstorm SANDY as it plowed into the U.S. Atlantic Coast. The superstorm caused much destruction across 15 states and cut power to at least 8.5 million customers affecting an estimated 65 million people.

“Where are you going today?”

Original Caption: Citizens walk in sandstorm in Hami, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Nov. 2, 2012. Parts of Xinjiang were hit by a sandstorm on Friday. (Xinhua/Polat) 

Cyclone NILAM

• INDIA: Cyclone NILAM  brought heavy rain and a storm surge to southern India, destroying thousands of homes displacing 150,000 people.

• Sri Lanka. Flooding in Sri Lanka caused by the cyclone displaced about 70,000 others.
  • The storm left at least a dozen people dead and many injured in the region.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

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

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!

Tropical Cyclone Laila Kills 83 in India, Sri Lanka

Cyclone Laila: Leaves 83 dead, 600,000 Displaced

Cyclone Laila weakened into a depression on Friday and later became a low pressure area as it moved toward south Orissa, leaving in its wake a trail of death and destruction including at least 57 dead and 75,000 more people displaced, official sources said.

In Sri Lanka, meanwhile, a week of heavy rains and flooding left at least 26 people  dead and more than half a million others displaced, officials at the Disaster Management Center reported on May May 21.

One of Cyclone Laila’s thunderstorms reached nearly 18km (11 miles) high

This 3-D image of Cyclone Laila was made using data from TRMM’s Precipitation Radar. It shows that the powerful thunderstorms northwest of tropical cyclone Laila shot up to heights above 17.5 kilometers (~57,415 feet/10.8 miles). Source: NASA/SSAI, Hal Pierce

Tropical Cyclone Laila Soaks India

Tropical Cyclone Laila brought heavy rains and strong winds to the Bay of Bengal and parts of India in May 2010. This color-coded image shows estimated rainfall amounts for May 17 through May 19, as well as the storm track from May 17 to May 20. The heaviest amounts of rain—300 or more millimeters (12 or more inches)—appear in dark blue. The lightest amounts of rain—less than 37.5 millimeters (1.5 inches)—appear in pale green. The storm track is indicated by a pink line. The thicker, darker portion of that line shows where the storm intensified on May 19. This image is based on data from the Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis produced at Goddard Space Flight Center, which estimates rainfall by combining measurements from many satellites and calibrating them using rainfall measurements from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite. Source of image and [edited] caption: NASA E/O. Click image to enlarge.

Tropical Cyclone Laila

Tropical Cyclone Laila hovered over the eastern coastline of India and the Bay of Bengal, and skirted Sri Lanka on May 19, 2010. MODIS on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this natural-color image the same day. Spanning hundreds of kilometers, the storm extends a spiral arm toward the northeast, covering much of India’s coast. In the south, the storm spans most of southern India. Source of image and [edited] caption: NASA E/O. Click image to enlarge.

Related Links:

• Cyclone Laila Forces 50,000 Indians to Evacuate
• 2010 Disaster Calendar [May]
• 2010: Year One of Human-Enhanced Disasters

Monsoon Season Strikes Sri Lanka

3 days of torrential rain, strong winds and lightening herald start of  monsoon season in SW Sri Lanka

The storms have claimed at least one life and injured many others, affecting about 20,000 people throughout the country.

Sri Lanka is struck by two monsoons each year: The southwest monsoon season, which has just started lasts until September, while the northeast monsoon normally starts in October lasting through January, a report said.

“Officials at the landslide unit of the National Building Research Organization urged residents in certain parts of Colombo to be on guard about possible landslides. Although landslides are more common in the mountainous regions of Sri Lanka than in areas around Colombo, officials said poorly-built structures, particularly at higher elevations, could become dangerous during heavy rain.”

Related Links:

• Deadly Rainstorms, Landslides Strike Central China
• Violent Storms Kill at least 65 in S China
• 2010 Likely the Most Disastrous Year on Record: FEWW
• 2010: Year One of Human-Enhanced Disasters
• 2010 Disasters
• 2010 Disaster Calendar [May]
• Landslides

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Serial No 1,732. Starting April 2010, each entry on this blog has a unique serial number. If any of the numbers are missing, it may mean that the corresponding entry has been blocked by Google/the authorities in your country. Please drop us a line if you detect any anomaly/missing number(s).

Meningitis and encephalitis swamp refugee camps

Outbreaks of meningitis and encephalitis reported in northern Sri Lanka refugee camps

Deadly diseases erupt in refugee camps in northern Sri Lanka

Xinhua News Agency [19 Jul 2009]

COLOMBO, Jul 19, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX) — Meningitis and encephalitis [an acute inflammation of the brain] have erupted in Sri Lanka’s northern Vavuniya district where about 300, 000 Tamils civilians displaced by the last phase of war between the government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels are being housed, a local newspaper said on Sunday.

The Sunday Times reported that 14 new encephalitis cases were detected in the Vavuniya General Hospital over the past week.

Vavuniya-based United Nations staff providing relief services to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have been advised to keep away from the hospital due to the outbreak of meningitis and encephalitis, the paper said.

UN officials were quoted by the paper as saying that the hospital employees at Vavuniya had failed to inform the authorities about the outbreak of the two diseases.

The paper said while the fatality rate of meningitis cases treated in all government hospitals in Sri Lanka from 2000 to 2005 had dropped to less than five percent, the fatality rate in the Vavuniya General Hospital is about 50 percent.

UN officials said diarrhea and hepatitis A are still prevalent in some of the IDP camps in Vavuniya.

UN officials also said health care, water distribution and supply of food items still need more attention in the camps because only about 36 percent of the total cost of 270 million U. S. dollars had been distributed.

There is not enough suitable land to build more toilets. The camps currently have only about 9,215 toilets while 15,000 are needed, UN officials said. The UN is warning of the effect the approaching rainy season might have on the camps, especially in low-lying areas.

The government said they need about six months to de-mine the once rebel controlled north and find out hidden Tamil Tiger rebels before the IDPs can return to their original homes.

After nearly 30 years’ struggle for a separate homeland for the minority Tamils in the north and east, the Tamil Tigers came to be wiped off in May as a result of a sustained military crackdown on them by the troops. copyright xinhua.

TROPICAL CYCLONE SIX

SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE INDIAN OCEAN

Source: CIMSS

A BROAD AREA OF CONVECTION PREVIOUSLY LOCATED NEAR 8.8N 81.3E, IS NOW LOCATED NEAR 10.1N 81.0E, APPROXIMATELY 170 NM NORTH-NORTHEAST OF KOTTE, SRI LANKA. RECENT ANIMATED MULTISPECTRAL IMAGERY REVEALS A RAPIDLY CONSOLIDATING LOW LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC) WITH DEEP CONVECTION BEGINNING TO MOVE OVER WATER FROM NORTHERN SRI LANKA.

Tropical Cyclone Six. Still Satellite image dated as shown. Image credit: CIMSS

UPPER LEVEL ANALYSIS SHOWS THE SYSTEM IS UNDER THE SOUTHERN PERIPHERY OF A RIDGE AXIS WITH LOW TO MODERATE VERTICAL WIND SHEAR.

WATER VAPOR ANIMATION INDICATES GOOD POLEWARD AND EQUATORWARD OUTFLOW. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR THE CENTER ARE ESTIMATED AT 30 TO 35 KNOTS AND MINIMUM SEA LEVEL PRESSURE IS NEAR 1000 MB. THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS IS UPGRADED TO GOOD.

Source: CIMSS