--
La Nasa vient de faire un beau cadeau aux climatosceptiques… en
apparence. Une étude publiée samedi 30 octobre “contredit les
conclusions notamment du Giec [Groupe d'experts intergouvernemental sur
l'évolution du climat, NDLR] qui affirme que l’Antarctique perd en
surface de glace”, affirme l’agence spatiale américaine.Au contraire, la masse totale de glace aurait augmenté grâce à une accumulation continue de neige depuis 10 000 ans. Cet enneigement serait plus important que les pertes dues à la fonte des glaciers........Plus il fait chaud, plus il neige
4/11/15
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India today deployed troops to Tamil Nadu and closed the main airport after heavy rains exacerbated weeks of flooding that have killed nearly 200 people in the southern coastal state...
ReplyDeleteAt least twice as much rain fell in the last 24 hours as the average for the whole month of December.
Thousands of passengers were left stranded at the international airport in the state capital Chennai after flooding on the runway forced the cancellation of dozens of flights.
Authorities said thousands of rescuers carrying diving equipment, inflatable boats and medical equipment were also battling to evacuate victims across the flooded state.
"At least 10,000 police personnel and trained swimmers are being deployed to help with the rescue effort," said Chennai police chief JK Tripathy.
He said 186 people had been reported killed in the floods, now in their fourth week.
"The situation is a little grim. Some urban areas are totally flooded," said the National Disaster Response Force..............http://www.rte.ie/news/world/2015/1202/750638-india-floods/
2/12/15
In France, Finding Local Green Energy Solutions Proves a Challenge ...
ReplyDeleteAfter turning a 15th century stone mansion in Brittany into a comfortable bed & breakfast, Scotsman Peter Dinwiddie was left with what he calls a “messy” predicament. What to do with a pair of dilapidated buildings on the edge of his property?
Today Dinwiddie, who moved to this bucolic slice of far western France known as the Finistere more than a decade ago, has found the solution. Solar panels glisten from atop a now elegant stone veranda — Dinwiddie’s contribution to a larger energy transition.
“We don’t use the electricity as such,” he said ruefully. “We sell it back into the energy grid, and buy it back at half the price from EDF… which is a bit crazy, really.”
EDF, or Electricite de France, is France’s national power company, which operates the country’s 58 nuclear power plants, although it also has a renewable energy wing. But to install his solar panels, Dinwiddie turned to Quenea, one of dozens of local companies now mushrooming around the area.
As negotiators from 195 nations try to reach a climate deal in Paris, regional and local governments aren’t waiting. Many are forging ahead with their own climate action plans that are sometimes more ambitious than national ones.
“If you look at the delivery and implementation of what comes out of Paris, most will take place at the state, regional or city level,” said Libby Ferguson, state and regions director for UK nonprofit The Climate Group. On a local level, she said, “we’re already seeing some really substantial emissions cuts.”
The most striking examples are taking place in countries like Germany, where regional governments wield considerable power. By contrast France, where power — both in politics and in energy — is still largely centralized, many areas are lagging behind.................http://www.voanews.com/content/in-france-finding-local-green-energy-solutions-proves-a-challenge/3084048.html
2/12/15
Le plastique pêché en Méditerranée bientôt recyclé en vêtements ...
ReplyDeleteCinq heures du matin, au large de la Costa blanca et de ses touristes endormis. Trois chalutiers artisanaux sortent du port espagnol de Villajoyosa pour s'en aller pêcher la seiche, la gamba et la bouteille en plastique.
Depuis quelques mois, les pêcheurs de la communauté valencienne (est de l'Espagne) collectent systématiquement les déchets en polyester saturé (PET) gisant en Méditerranée, bientôt recyclés en une collection de mode exclusive.
"En juin, à Florence (Italie), nous voulons présenter la première collection de mode réalisée avec du fil et des tissus issus des déchets du fond de la Méditerranée", annonce l'Espagnol Javier Goyeneche, 45 ans, président d'Ecoalf. Cette entreprise madrilène lancée en 2010 (18 employés, 4,5 millions d'euros de chiffre d'affaires 2015) se flatte déjà d'avoir créé "une nouvelle génération" de vêtements et d'accessoires à partir de bouteilles en plastique collectées sur terre, de vieux filets de pêche ou de pneus usagés.
"Il ne faut pas continuer à creuser le sol toujours plus profond pour produire du pétrole", lance son fondateur. "Là où d'autres voient des ordures, nous voyons une matière première et pouvons la transformer en tissus à travers des processus sophistiqués de recherche et développement", explique M. Goyeneche, dont les doudounes ou sacs à dos sont vendus dans des magasins huppés, tels Harrods à Londres et Bloomingdale's à New York.
"Un fil recyclé à 100% à partir de détritus collectés en mer"
S'il existe donc déjà des vêtements fabriqués à partir de déchets plastiques recyclés, ce serait une première d'en créer à partir des ordures de la mer. Et pour ce faire, 200 bateaux de pêche de la Communauté valencienne (est) ont accepté de jouer les éboueurs.
"En deux mois, les pêcheurs d'Alicante, de Valence et de Castellon ont déjà sorti de l'eau deux tonnes de plastique et deux autres d'ordures", assure le président de l'Interfédération des pêcheurs de la Communauté valencienne..................http://www.rtbf.be/info/societe/detail_le-plastique-peche-en-mediterranee-bientot-recycle-en-vetements?id=9154260
3/12/15
3 killed, 15 feared dead in landslides in eastern Indonesia ...
ReplyDeleteRescuers evacuated three bodies and were searching for 15 others buried under mud and rock after landslides hit Indonesia's eastern Bengkulu province of Sumatra island on Thursday, a spokesman of the national disaster management agency said.
Heavy downpours triggered the landslides at 1:45 a.m. Jakarta time at Karang Sulu village of North Bengkulu district and hit the huts where 18 farmers stayed, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.
"The huts were buried by the mud, rocks and trees as high as five meters," Sutopo told Xinhua by phone.
Three bodies have been recovered, and other 15 remains buried, he said.
As many as 21 huts were hit and buried, Sutopo added.
The roads to the landslides area were blocked, he said.
Soldiers and those from local disaster agency as well as volunteers are conducting emergency relief works, Sutopo added.
Landslide and flood are frequent in Indonesia particularly at the wet season.
http://www.china.org.cn/environment/2015-12/03/content_37228427.htm
Fukushima radioactivity detected off coast of U.S., Canada...
ReplyDeleteScientists have detected heightened levels of radioactivity in the waters along the west coast of Canada and the United States, which can be traced back to the Japanese nuclear disaster in Fukushima in 2011.
The radiation levels are relatively minute, and do not pose a threat to human or marine life, according to a statement from the U.S.-based Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, released on Thursday. The WHOI says the results are based on more than 245 samples collected along the west coast since 2011, and are helpful in studying the way ocean currents circulate around the world...............http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/fukushima-radioactivity-detected-off-coast-of-u-s-canada-1.2687002
4/12/15
COP21: Climate delegates agree draft deal text...
ReplyDeleteDelegates at a UN climate conference in Paris have approved a draft text they hope will form the basis of an agreement to curb global carbon emissions.
The 48-page document will be discussed by ministers on Monday.
They will try to arrive at a comprehensive settlement by the end of next week.
The French climate ambassador warned that major political differences still needed to be resolved.
Delegates from 195 countries worked through the night at the conference centre in Le Bourget, conscious of a midday Saturday deadline imposed by the French presidency of this meeting................http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35015765
5/12/15
Azerbaijan's state oil company says at least 25 workers have been rescued from a burning oil rig in the Caspian Sea...
ReplyDeleteThe rig owned by SOCAR caught fire late on December 4 when the company said a gas line was damaged in heavy winds. The stormy weather was making it difficult to extinguish the flames.
The company said on December 4 that all workers had been moved away from the area on fire, with all or most of them taking shelter in lifeboats attached to the platform.
A company representative said on December 5 that at least 25 had been rescued but declined to say how many workers were on the platform when the fire broke out.
http://www.rferl.org/content/azerbaijan-oil-rig-fire/27408631.html
5/12/15
Heat Wave Continues in South Australia; Farmers Warned about Fire Dangers...
ReplyDeleteSouth Australia is battling the third day of a heatwave, with Adelaide recording 41.2 degrees Celsius. The Country Fire Service (CFS) has issued total fire bans in 11 districts for Sunday, including two extreme fire danger ratings for the North-West Pastoral and West Coast areas. The Bureau of Meteorology said the overnight low was the hottest December low since 2009. Fire crews were kept busy on Saturday by several blazes, including one that burnt about 50 hectares at Price on Yorke Peninsula. The fire was not only devastating to nearby communities it could also result in crop and machinery loss.
http://www.ubalert.com/rgec
6/12/15
Un séisme de magnitude 7,2 sur l'échelle de Richter a été enregistré lundi au Tadjikistan en Asie centrale, a rapporté l'institut géologique américain (USGS)...
ReplyDeleteLa secousse a été ressentie jusqu'à New Delhi, en Inde, où des bâtiments ont tremblé, ont rapporté des témoins.
Pour le moment, aucune information n'a été fournie sur le nombre de victimes ou sur les dégâts causés par le séisme.
http://fr.sputniknews.com
7/12/15
An earthquake measuring 7.2 magnitude struck Tajikistan on Monday, shaking buildings as far away as the Indian capital of New Delhi and in Pakistan, the U.S. Geological Survey and witnesses said...
ReplyDeleteA spokesman for Tajikistan's Emergencies Committee said it had no information so far on any casualties or damage from the quake. The quake did not affect Russian military bases in Tajikistan, RIA news agency reported, citing Russia's defence ministry.
The epicentre of the quake was 111 km (65 miles) southwest of Karakul, the USGS said, a sparsely populated mountainous area.
A Dushanbe resident told Reuters by telephone the quake had been felt in the capital, but described it as moderate.
channelnewsasia.com - Reuters
7/12/15
While world leaders try to reach a deal to limit climate change, one of the most polluting fossil fuels, brown coal, is enjoying a revival in the Czech Republic, where entire villages are threatened by new plans for mining...
ReplyDeleteThe Czech Republic is one of a group of countries that is turning to coal, a cheap but dirty energy source, as its economy slows. Neighboring Poland, which has big deposits, is doing so, as is China, the world's biggest energy consumer.
The Czech variety of the coal, called brown coal or lignite, is a particularly bad source of greenhouse gases and pollutants.......AP......http://www.voanews.com/content/amid-climate-debates-czechs-embrace-big-pollutant/3092029.html
7/12/15
Beijing's smog crisis idles factories, boosts travel...
ReplyDeleteFactories in Beijing that make goods from cement to train cars were shut down Tuesday to help ease the Chinese capital's pollution crisis. But it was a boon for some businesses, boosting sales of air purifying equipment and travel to escape the haze.
Snack stands promoted sales of pear and pomegranate juices, a traditional remedy for lung problems, as the impact of traffic and other restrictions rippled through Beijing's economy, which at $340 billion is bigger than many countries.
Half the cars in this city of 20 million people were ordered off the streets. Facilities in cement, petrochemicals and other industries were told to close or reduce operations after pollution soared to many times safe levels.......AP....timesofindia.indiatimes.com
8/12/15
Negotiators at the United Nations climate change summit in Paris worked through the night in an effort to reach a deal...
ReplyDeleteFrench Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who is chairing the summit, said he was confident agreement would be reached tomorrow - one day later than the original deadline.
The latest draft document commits to keeping temperature rises "well below" two degrees above pre-industrial levels. However, there have been differences over the level of responsibility to be placed on developed and emerging economies.
Ministers from across the were expected to wrap up the 195-nation UN climate-saving deal today, the French hosts said, but that now looks unlikely.
"It will be presented Saturday morning for adoption midday," said a source at the French presidency of the Paris climate conference.
"Things are moving in the right direction," said Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who is presiding over the talks, according to the source............http://www.rte.ie/news/world/2015/1211/752767-climate-change-summit/
11/12/15
Iran : la grande sécheresse...
ReplyDeleteSi l'Iran a fait cette année la une de l'actualité internationale avec la signature d'un accord historique sur le nucléaire, la République islamique doit relever un défi intérieur de taille : le manque d'eau et la sécheresse. Les lacs et les barrages sont à sec, tandis que de nombreuses villes sont menacées de coupures d'eau. Dans certaines régions reculées, la catastrophe est aussi économique. Fait rare, nos reporters ont été autorisés à tourner ce reportage.
La sécheresse est le sujet de préoccupation majeur des Iraniens. Vivre et travailler en Iran sans l’évoquer est impossible. Les spécialistes de l'environnement commencent d’ailleurs à tirer la sonnette d'alarme sur ce qui pourrait être l'une des pires catastrophes écologiques du Moyen-Orient.
En Iran, neuf villes, dont la capitale Téhéran, sont menacées de coupures d’eau, les barrages s'assèchent et une grande partie des lacs du sud et de l'est du pays sont à sec. Avec cette sécheresse, des millions de personnes sont également menacées.
Si la raréfaction de l'or bleu s’explique en partie par le réchauffement climatique, elle est aussi due à la construction effrénée de barrages qui ont détourné les rivières de leur lit et des terres agricoles...............http://www.france24.com/fr/20151211-video-reporter-iran-secheresse-eau-rechauffement-climatique-cop21
11/12/15
More Than 725,000 Evacuated as Typhoon Melor Makes Landfall in Central Philippines...
ReplyDeleteThe state disaster management agency reported on Monday that more than 161,000 households or approximately 725,000 people were pre-emptively evacuated in three provinces in the central and eastern parts of the Philippines because of approaching typhoon Melor (local name:Nona).
The state weather forecasting agency said Typhoon Melor hit Batag Island of Northern Samar province at around 11:00 a.m. (local time) on Monday and it is expected to make a second landfall in the island province of Sorsogon later in the day.
the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the evacuees came from the provinces of Albay, Northern Samar and Sorsogon.
Classes have been suspended in eight provinces and 40 domestic flights were cancelled due to the typhoon. Almost 8,000 passengers, 62 ships and 552 rolling cargoes are also stranded because of rough sea conditions.
Typhoon Melor packs maximum sustained winds of 150 kph near the center and wind gusts of up to 185 kph.
http://www.ubalert.com/ltec
14/12/15
La nave espacial rusa Soyuz TMA- 19M con tres astronautas a bordo inició este martes su viaje desde el cosmódromo de Baikonur a la Estación Espacial Internacional (EEI), comunicó un corresponsal de RIA Novosti...
ReplyDeleteInformó que el cohete portador Soyuz-FG con la nave despegó a las 14.03 hora de Moscú (11.03 GMT).
Llevará a la EEI la nueva tripulación compuesta del cosmonauta ruso Yuri Malénchenko, el astronauta estadounidense Timothy Kopra (NASA) y el británico Timothy Peake (ESA).
El acoplamiento está previsto para las 20.12 hora de Moscú (17.12 GMT).
A bordo de la EEI la nueva tripulación se unirá a los cosmonautas rusos Mijaíl Kornienko, Serguéi Volkov y al astronauta estadounidense Scott Kelly.
mundo.sputniknews.com
15/12/15
Tornado rips roofs off homes as record winds lash Sydney...
ReplyDeleteA tornado has ripped through Sydney, with one weather station recording the fastest ever wind speeds in the state of New South Wales.
Destructive winds of 213km/h hit Kurnell, on the southern headland of Botany Bay, Wednesday morning.
Two people have been taken to hospital, one suffering head injuries and another suffering shock, a NSW Ambulance spokesperson told the BBC.
A Kurnell resident told Sky News the storm sounded "like a freight train".
Authorities said it is lucky no-one was seriously injured, but at least 25 properties have been severely damaged, some declared uninhabitable..........BBC
16/12/15
L'Inde interdit les voitures de luxe au diesel...
ReplyDeleteLa Cour suprême indienne a interdit mercredi provisoirement l'immatriculation de nouvelles voitures gourmandes en diesel, notamment les 4x4 et les voitures de luxe, à New Delhi afin de réduire la pollution dans la capitale la plus polluée du monde.
La plus haute juridiction indienne a également interdit l'entrée dans la capitale des camions vieux de plus de 10 ans et circulant au diesel.........http://fr.sputniknews.com/international/20151216/1020312869/inde-voiture-diesel.html#ixzz3uTlIvqv9
16/12/15
Dans les Alpes, la neige artificielle sauve les vacances de Noël...
ReplyDeleteTempératures douces, neige éparse: une fois de plus, les canons à neige vont sauver le Noël des skieurs dans les stations alpines. Comme à L’Alpe d'Huez en Isère, où il ne fait pas bon sortir des pistes.
A quelques jours des fêtes de fin d'année, la station prisée par les Néerlandais et les Britanniques affiche un visage printanier: quelques langues de neige artificielle et de grandes étendues de prairies inégalement blanchies.
"La neige n'est à l'évidence pas aussi bonne qu'elle pourrait l'être. Mais on peut quand même passer un bon moment en montant en altitude", sourit Lisa Harvey, vacancière anglaise qui a un chalet dans la région. "On n'a pas de neige en Angleterre, c'est déjà mieux ici", abonde Oliver Wyles, un surfer venu de Blackpool..........rtl.be
17/12/15
A ship carrying more than 100 passengers was adrift in rough seas off the coast of Indonesia's Sulawesi on Saturday, officials said, contradicting earlier media reports that the vessel had sunk...
ReplyDelete"The ship has not sunk," South Sulawesi police spokesman Frans Barung said by phone, adding that port authorities lost contact with the vessel after its engine broke down.
Bambang Soelistyo, chief of Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Team Agency, said a team of rescuers was trying to reach the stricken ship.
"The ship had 122 people on board. The team from our headquarters ... all that we have, we are deploying there but we're facing high waves," he said.........reuters.com
19/10/15
At least 27 people were missing as landslide which swept through an industrial park in Shenzen southern China buried more than 20 buildings in a sea of mud and triggered a gas explosion on Sunday...
ReplyDeleteMore than 1,500 emergency workers were involved in the rescue. The slide ruptured a natural gas pipeline and triggered an explosion at the Hengtaiyu industrial park which was heard about four kilometers away, the agency said.
The cause of the slide was unclear.
http://www.ubalert.com/J1ec
Gulf stock markets look set to face more selling pressure on Monday after oil prices extended losses, while trading volumes may be thin as investors await Saudi Arabia's 2016 budget, expected to be announced in coming days...
ReplyDeleteBrent crude touched a seven-year low of $36.21 a barrel in Asian trade on Monday morning as production around the world remained at or near record highs while a strong dollar following last week's U.S. rate hike weighed on demand.
The Saudi stock index may be vulnerable after Sunday's losses took it back below 7,000 points, erasing most of Thursday's rally.
"Current market sentiment is fragile and people are not willing to rotate into sectors that are heavily dependent on government spending or those that are export-oriented," said Mohammad al Shammasi, head of asset management at Riyadh-based Derayah Financial.
Construction-related and petrochemical companies in particular are waiting for the Saudi budget before they move ahead with spending plans.........reuters
21/12/15
Spain Firefighters Battle Hundred Wildfires ...
ReplyDeleteOfficials said Spanish firefighters were battling around 100 wildfires in the northwestern Asturias region on Sunday. Over 230 firefighters backed by over 50 soldiers were deployed after the fires broke out on Saturday. Wind gusts of up to 100km/h fanned the flames. Wildfires are unusual in December and the authorities are investigating the cause of the blazes.
http://www.ubalert.com/53ec
22/12/15
China landslide: Man rescued alive in Shenzhen after 67 hours...
ReplyDeleteA man buried in rubble for about 67 hours after a landslide hit an area of Shenzhen in China, has been pulled out alive.
The landslide, which struck early on Sunday, engulfed more than 30 buildings in an industrial district.
Rescuers pulled out the first body from the rubble on Tuesday. More than 70 people are still missing..........http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-35166123
23/12/15
Authorities said the cargo vessel "Pataya III" went missing in the Indian ocean. It was last spotted on December 19 in the Sunda Strait of Indonesia during a trip from Padang to Palembang. The harsh weather in the area may have caused the ship to sink, but local officials never received a distress signal from the crew members...
ReplyDeleteThe storm that passed through the Sunda Strait caused a number of shipping mishaps, as waves towered more than three meters high and caused collision, anchor dragging and groundings. Authorities have already issued a warning to sailors in the vicinity for the missing ship.
On board the ill-fated cargo vessel were 24 people, but none of them contacted their families. Authorities will begin search and rescue operations as soon as the weather improves.
https://www.ubalert.com/65ec
23/12/15
China's pollution woes worsened Wednesday as 50 cities issued air pollution alerts, including the five on first-ever red alerts, the most serious level, for heavily polluted smog...
ReplyDeleteRoughly 50 cities in northern and eastern China have issued air pollution alerts in the most recent bout of smog, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
This included five cities which are on red alert for hazardous smog.
Tianjin and Eastern Shandong Province issued its first red alert in four cities after warning that the density of PM2.5, the smallest and deadliest form of airborne particulate matter would exceed 400 micrograms per cubic meter for more than 24 hours.
China has a four-tier warning system, with red as the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.........http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
23/12/15
At Least 3 People Killed, 40 Others Injured by Tornadoes in Mississippi...
ReplyDeleteThe Emergency Management Agency said at least three people were killed while 40 others were injured in multiple tornadoes that struck parts of Mississippi on Wednesday.
The agency said it received reports of severe damage caused by the twisters from Benton, Marshall and four other counties. It added that search and rescue operations as well as damage assessments were still ongoing as of press time.
Meanwhile, authorities in Pope County in Arkansas reported that an 18-month-old toddler and an 18-year-old female were injured on Wednesday morning when a huge tree hit their house after it was uprooted by high winds and heavy downpours.
http://www.ubalert.com/O6ec
24/12/15
US storms: At least six dead in trail of destruction...
ReplyDeleteA storm described by forecasters as "particularly dangerous" has hit the south and mid-west of the US, killing at least six people and injuring scores more ahead of the Christmas break.
Three people were killed as tornadoes moved through northern Mississippi, officials said, along with two in Tennessee and one in Arkansas.
There have been reports of at least 20 tornadoes of varying severity.
The high winds have also caused significant damage to homes.
Authorities in parts of Mississippi - where a seven-year-old was among those killed - are conducting a house-by-house search-and-rescue operation after the state was hit by multiple tornadoes....BBC
24/12/15
A large object is expected to fly through the sky on Christmas Eve, but it's not a sleigh with eight reindeer and a guy in a big red suit...
ReplyDeleteA giant asteroid will be flying by Earth just in time for the holiday. Asteroid 2003 SD220 will pass within 7 million miles of Earth on Dec. 24.
That's 28 times the distance to the moon, which is a safe distance, according to EarthSky.org. At 1.25 miles across, the chicken tender-shaped asteroid is considered very large, but scientists have refuted the rumors that it is large enough to cause earthquakes.
The asteroid is next expected to stop by in 2018, and NASA says it won't come within a dangerous distance for at least 200 years.
http://www.ubalert.com/27ec
24/12/15
More than 100 feared dead in Nigeria Gas tanker truck explosion...
ReplyDeleteMore than 100 are feared dead after gas tanker truck unloading butane cooking gas at a crowded industrial gas plant exploded Thursday in the town of Nnewi in Anambra State, Nigeria. Locals reported a huge fire following the explosion.
The explosion at the Inter Corp Oil Limited gas plant, a subsidiary of Nigerian conglomerate Chicason Group, reportedly occurred around 11 am local time as residents from the predominantly Christian community lined up to filled gas cylinders before cooking Christmas dinner.
The plant was swallowed in flames and nearby homes damaged.
“The fire exploded like a bomb and the whole gas station went up in thick, black smoke amidst an explosion from cooking gas cylinders,” Emeka Peters, who witnessed the fire said. “Many people were killed and most of them were those that had been in the station queuing all day to get their cylinders refilled.”
The dead and injured were taken to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital in Nnewi.
Local Chukwuemerie Uduchukwu told the BBC that "five hours after the explosion and the depot was still burning, with the Red Cross and the fire services still at the scene."...........http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/africa/96776-151225-gas-tanker-truck-explosion-kills-more-than-100-nigeria
25/12/15
More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Ni?o, authorities reported on Saturday...
ReplyDeleteIn the worse affected country, Paraguay, around 90,000 people in the area around the capital city Asuncion have been evacuated, the municipal Emergency Office said. Many are poor families living in precarious housing along the banks of the River Paraguay.
The Paraguayan government has declared a state of emergency in Asuncion and seven regions of the country to free up funds to help those affected...REUTERS...dailystar.com.lb
26/12/15
UK Deploys Army as Rivers Overflow and Over 300 Flood Alerts Issued...
ReplyDeleteParts of the United Kingdom suffered further misery from flooding as two rivers overflowed, and the Army has been deployed in Cumbria to help with relief operations.
Over 360 flood warnings were in effect across England, Scotland and Wales, including 20 at the most severe level. The alerts came after weather forecasters said that up to 120 mm of rain may fall in some locations that were already saturated by a series of heavy winter squalls.
Two red alerts were also issued by the Met Office for rain in the Lancashire area, plus for Humber and Yorkshire. This marked the first time that two red alerts have been issued on the same day. A red alert means there is danger to life and the people are urged to take action, be prepared to evacuate their homes and expect disruption to travel.
In Scotland, 11 flood warnings were issued covering the Tayside and Borders areas. Among the hardest-hit by the latest flood was the village of Walsden, in Calder Valley. King Street, the main road in the area, was submerged and some residents had been evacuated by rescue workers as water levels continued to rise.
http://www.ubalert.com/OBec
27/12/15
Le Premier ministre britannique David Cameron a annoncé dimanche le déploiement de troupes supplémentaires pour venir en aide aux populations affectées par les inondations qui ont atteint un niveau "sans précédent" dans le nord de l'Angleterre....
Delete"Je viens juste de présider une réunion (de crise) sur ces inondations sans précédent", a déclaré sur Twitter le chef de l'exécutif britannique.
"Des troupes supplémentaires vont être déployées", a-t-il assuré, alors qu'une unité du régiment du duc de Lancaster participe déjà, aux côtés des autorités locales et de volontaires de la Croix Rouge, aux opérations d'évacuation et de lutte contre les inondations. David Cameron a également indiqué que l'ensemble du dispositif anti-inondations, critiqué ces dernières semaines, serait réévalué. "Les barrières anti-inondations, permanentes comme provisoires, ont joué un rôle clef, mais il est clair que dans certains cas, elles ont été dépassées, et nous devons voir s'il faut faire quelque chose de plus", a-t-il dit sur la BBC.
Pluies diluviennes
Ces inondations sont la conséquence des pluies diluviennes qui ont balayé la région ces derniers jours, submergeant villes et villages et contraignant parfois les secours à se déplacer en bateaux pneumatiques dans les rues..............rtbf.be
27/12/15
Chutes de neige les plus abondantes sur le nord-ouest du Mexique en un demi-siècle...
ReplyDelete(Belga) Le nord-ouest du Mexique enregistre cet hiver ses plus importantes chutes de neige depuis plus d'un demi-siècle, entraînant la fermeture temporaire d'un aéroport et de plusieurs autoroutes dans l'Etat de Chihuahua, ont indiqué lundi les autorités locales.
En fin de semaine dernière, jusqu'à 30 centimètres de neige sont tombés sur une trentaine de villes proches de la frontière américaine, le thermomètre dégringolant jusqu'à -18°C. "Il s'agit du niveau de neige le plus important des 55 dernières années", a déclaré Efrén Matamoros, directeur de la Protection civile de Ciudad Juárez, ville située dans l'Etat de Chihuahua. La police fédérale reste en "état d'alerte" dans les Etats septentrionaux de Chihuahua, Sonora, Durango et Coahuila, "pour enlever la neige et la glace" sur les autoroutes et aider les automobilistes, a-t-elle indiqué. L'aéroport international de Ciudad Juárez est resté fermé ce week-end en raison d'une couche de glace sur la piste. Son activité était revenue à la normale lundi. (Belga)
rtl.be
28/12/15
Une équipe d'architectes grecs a présenté un projet de reconstruction de la statue du Colosse de Rhodes, détruite il y a 2.000 ans...
ReplyDeleteLe nouveau Colosse doit symboliser la renaissance de l'économie grecque, déclare Aris Pallas, l'architecte en chef du projet, cité par BBC.
"Nous voulons démontrer que la Grèce peut reprendre sa place dans les rangs, qu'elle est forte et qu'elle peut relever son économie", ajoute-t-il M. Pallas.
L'idée est de construire une statue de 135 mètres de hauteur, cinq fois plus grande que l'originale, détruite il y a 2.000 ans. Elle serait installée à l'entrée de la ville de Rhodes. Les bateaux passeraient sous ses jambes.
"Nous ne voulons pas copier Colosse antique. Nous voudrions redonner vie à ce qu'il a symbolisé. Notre projet va attirer les investisseurs du monde entier. Il deviendra un symbole de la globalisation et en même temps représentera la culture grecque", souligne M. Pallas.
La statue serait couverte de batteries solaires bronzées. Un musée de l'antiquité et une librairie seraient créés en son sein. On estime le coût de la reconstruction de la statue à 250 millions euro. Cette somme devrait pouvoir être amortie en sept ans. Selon les auteurs du projet, le Colosse attirera les touristes et rapporterait près de 35 millions d'euros par an.
Cependant, ce projet n'a toujours pas de sources de financement. Les architectes comptent sur les investisseurs étrangers et sur l'Etat.....http://fr.sputniknews.com/insolite/20151228/1020632094/colosse-rhodes-statue-grece.html#ixzz3vj7XmLHC
Worries grow over 'strongest El Nino'...
ReplyDeleteThe strongest El Nino weather cycle on record is likely to increase the threat of hunger and disease for millions of people in 2016, aid agencies say.
The weather phenomenon is set to exacerbate droughts in some areas, while increasing flooding in others.
Some of the worst impacts are likely in Africa with food shortages expected to peak in February.
Regions including the Caribbean, Central and South America will also be hit in the next six months.
This periodic weather event, which tends to drive up global temperatures and disturb weather patterns, has helped push 2015 into the record books as the world's warmest year.............http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35159826
30/12/15
A ship carrying 12,000 liters of oil sank near Albania's northern town of Shengjin Tuesday, polluting the Adriatic Sea close to the port, local media reported Wednesday...
ReplyDeleteThe Albanian port authorities have confirmed the accident, and used dispersants to dissipate oil slicks as they tried to check the extent of the pollution, according to the Albanian Daily News.
Tonin Uldedaj, Shengjin's mayor, said Tuesday that local authorities were doing everything to eliminate the consequences of this accident.
Leaders of local fisheries said that they were unsure how much oil had spilled into the sea, or the level of pollution.
The operation to salvage the ship is continuing and big cranes from Vlora, a southern port in Albania, have been sent to the site.
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/961281.shtml
30/12/15
Bald höhere Temperaturen als in Kalifornien
ReplyDeleteWetter-Irrsinn! Am Nordpol ist es 40 Grad zu warm...
Das Wetter gerät immer weiter aus den Fugen! Am Nordpol ist es derzeit 40 Grad zu warm - und die Temperaturen sollen noch steigen. Wetterexperten schlagen Alarm.
Washington - Um diese Jahreszeit sollte es am Nordpol eigentlich eisige minus 30 bis minus 40 Grad haben. Doch weit gefehlt: Tatsächlich ist es dort PLUS zwei bis vier Grad warm!
Es ist ein Sturmsystem von historischen Ausmaßen und Werten: Und was sich derzeit östlich von Grönland zusammenbraut und weiter nördlich zieht, könnte dem Nordpol sogar noch höhere Temperaturen (von bis zu 50 Grad über den normalen Werten) bescheren. Am derzeit 24 Stunden lang dunklen Pol wäre es dann wärmer als in Südkalifornien...............http://www.abendzeitung-muenchen.de
30/12/15