Hazards/Threats

The northern sections of Uruguay continue (since August 1999) to experience widespread drought conditions. The most severely affected regions are Artigas, Salto, Paysandf, Rio Negro and Cerro Largo. Estimated losses are as high as US $250 million. (OCHA)

Southern Africa has experienced heavy rains and severe flooding that began early in February with Cyclone Connie and worsened with persistent rains and Cylone Eline later in the month. News reports estimate 900,000 people are affected in Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, and Madagascar with a death toll in the hundreds.   Story: (DRO) Situation reports: (USAID) (OCHA)

Severe snowfalls in large areas of Mongolia have caused the death of over 800,000 head of livestock. The early snowfall, starting in mid September, followed a severe drought which deprived the livestock of essential fodder and weakened their resistance to the winter. An estimated 291,618 people are now affected by the food shortages in the short term, and by the loss of their livelihood in the longer term. Situation reports: (OCHA) (IFRC).

Persistent rains in the Philippines resulted in widespread flooding near the port city of Davao and surrounding provinces. At least 19 people were reportedly killed and 150,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes. (Earth Alert)

Monsoon rains have flooded large regions of Queensland, New South Wales and the Northern Territories of Australia. The outback Queensland towns of Winton and Longreach were declared disaster areas near the end of February. Several rivers in the region (Finke, Hugh, Thomson and Palmer) have broken their banks, with damage estimated at US $3.1 million. (Reuters)

Health

Flooding in Mozambique has resulted in contaminated drinking water and over crowding which increase the outbreak risks of cholera, malaria, meningitis and respiratory problems. (ProMED)

In Madagascar and Malawi the heavy seasonal rains are increasing the severity of a cholera outbreak which began late in 1999. From 1 December 1999 until 3 March 2000, a total of 12,481 cases of cholera with 736 deaths was reported in Madagascar, compared with a total of 8,665 cases with 490 deaths reported during the period March to November 1999. (WHO)

Record flooding in northern Australia has put health authorities on alert for potential outbreaks of Australian encephalitis, a mosquito-borne disease that attacks the nervous system with a 30% fatality rate. The rains may produce swamps in the desert providing breeding grounds for the mosquitoes. Dengue fever outbreaks are also a concern. (ProMED).

Agriculture

Food security in southern Mozambique has been seriously jeopardized by the worst floods for nearly half a century. Severe damage and destruction have been inflicted on crops (both in fields and stores) and livestock. Near-total crop losses are almost certain in the southern provinces of Maputo, Gaza and Inhambane, where the most productive areas such as Boane and Chokwe are completely submerged, while serious losses are expected in the central provinces of Manica and Sofala. Preliminary estimates from provincial authorities indicate that at least 150,000 hectares of foodcrops have been lost to the floods in the five affected provinces.Situation report: (FAO)

A senior official of the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute said the passage of cyclones Connie and Eline has greatly enhanced the outlook for a good crop. The heavy rains boosted soil moisture in an area that was adversely affected by drough last year. (Reuters)

Widespread showers aided summer crops in central Argentina and southern Brazil, but heavy showers slowed early soybean harvesting in Mato Grosso and Goias, Brazil. (WWCB)

Dry, unseasonably warm weather continued in Spain and Portugal, stressing vegetative winter grains. (WWCB)

Unseasonably mild weather favored dormant winter grains but continued to erode protective snow cover in major winter wheat producing areas of Ukraine, southern Russia, Belarus, and the Baltics. (WWCB)

In the United States temperatures averaging well above normal stimulated winter wheat development in the Great Plains and Corn Belt. Precipitation also aided wheat growth and improved conditions in Kansas and Oklahoma. In the Corn Belt, though rainfall was light there was adequate soil moisture to support soft red winter wheat development. (WWCB)

Fisheries

Total catch of small pelagics for the month of February and the first 5 days of March was approximately 203,000 metric tons. Due to a veda (fishing ban) on anchovy in the central-north region, catch was composed primarily of jack mackerel and sardine in the north, and anchovy in the south. The veda ended on March 8. Total accumulated catch for 2000 is approximately 616,779 metric tons, compared with 1,033,751 metric tons for the same period in 1999.

Material for this portion of the IRI Climate Information Digest has been extracted from theUN/OCHA Reliefweb, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the USDA/NOAA Joint Agricultural Weather Facility and the Fishmeal Exporters Organization. Additional information was obtained from theNOAA/OGP Climate Information Program and Red Cross/CNN/IBM Disaster Relief.