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IRI Climate Information Digest - Impacts August 1999

CLIMATE AND HEALTH

  • Contaminated stagnant water in the wake of flooding in Sudan contributed to a rapid increase in diarrheal diseases and numerous deaths, according to the International  Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent  Societies.

HAZARDS/THREATS

  • Severe flooding in Chad and Sudan destroyed more than 15,000 homes and left thousands homeless.  The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that in Chad the River Batha reached its highest level in 30 years.
  • Abnormally dry weather in central South America has fueled the spreading of numerous fires in the region.  In Bolivia OCHA reports 600 homes were destroyed by fires.

AGRICULTURE

  • Hot dry weather in northwestern India and eastern Pakistan has stressed oilseeds, grains and cotton crops.
  • Crop development remained slow in California and portions of the southwestern US due to below-average temperatures.
  • Widespread rains eased drought conditions in much of the eastern US which boosted vegetative growth but came too late to help the most advanced crops.
  • Continued lack of significant rain in portions of the North China Plain has stressed the filling of summer crops.

WATER RESOURCES

  • Continued drought in sections of northern China has stressed local water supplies affecting 3 million people according to media reports.
  • Rainfall in the eastern US eased drought conditions but long term water shortages still exist and mandatory water use restrictions remained in effect in several areas.

FISHERIES

  • As a result of a seasonal veda (fishing ban) which began in July, fishing for small pelagics off the coast of Peru during the month of August was severely restricted (with the exception of some very limited areas in the South, near Paita).  Total catch of small pelagics for the month did not exceed 20,000 metric tons. Total catch of small pelagics for 1999 has exceeded 4,200,000 million metric tons.  The Peruvian oceanographic agency is currently monitoring the biological resources in an attempt to determine when fishing may begin again. This veda is expected to continue at least through the month of September.
Material for this portion of the IRI Climate Information Digest has been extracted from the IRI Climate Data Library, the NOAA NCEP Climate Prediction Center, the USDA/NOAA Joint Agricultural Weather Facility and the Fishmeal Exporters Organization. Additional information was obtained from the CHGE, and the UN/OCHA.