HAZARDS/THREATS
Venezuela Floods  The torrential rains and resulting landslides which occurred in December have resulted in  an estimated 30,000 deaths, with some 600,000 persons affected.  Adverse weather conditions continued through January and caused additional damage to various states.(OCHA)

East Africa Drought  Sparse rains have resulted in request for assistance in 18 districts of Kenya, and raises food security questions in Ethiopia. (OCHA)

Southern Africa Floods  Heavy rains have caused flooding in southern Mozambique along the Incomati, Umbeluzi and Limpopo rivers. 18 deaths have been reported in the Maputo Province. Heavy rains and flash flooding have also been reported in the Benguela and Kwanka Norte provinces of Angola. (OCHA)

Philippines Floods Several days of heavy rains resulted in floods which killed at least 34 people in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. (OCHA)

HEALTH
In Madagascar, Zimbabwe, and Malawi the rainy season is increasing the attack rate of a cholera outbreak which began late in the year in 1999. (WHO)

Venezuela maintains an alert situation for cholera, dengue and malaria. Diarrheal and respiratory diseases have increased. Health authorities monitor environmental risks in order to minimize their impact on the health of the affected ones. (PAHO)

AGRICULTURE
Snow preceded bitterly cold weather in major winter wheat-producing areas of Ukraine and southern Russia, increasing protective snow cover and minimizing the threat for potential winter kill.

Cold weather in Greece and Italy threatened citrus.

Rains brought some relief to southern Brazil, central Argentina and southern Paraguay where corn, soybeans and cotton have been stressed by dry conditions. 

Unseasonably cool weather slowed the growth of cotton and sorghum in the eastern summer crop areas of Australia.

In the Unites States unusually warm and dry weather across the southern Great Plains stimulated winter wheat growth while continuing to deplete soil moisture.  Snow cover in the eastern cornbelt protected plants from a surge of cold weather during midmonth.

FISHERIES
Landings in Peru of small pelagics for the month of January were approximately 408,000 metric tons, compared with 671,826 for the same 
period in 1999.  Seasonal ban for anchovy for most of the coast remains in 
effect, and landings were composed primarily of sardines, jack, and pacific 
mackerel.  The ban on anchovy is expected to last at least until March.

Material for this portion of the IRI Climate Information Digest has been extracted from theUN/OCHA Reliefweb, thePan 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.