Hazards/Threats

India and Bangladesh  The states of Assam, Bihar and West Bengal (in NE India) and Bangladesh continue to be severely affected by floods that have claimed 300 lives. Over 5 million people in the region have been affected by the monsoon related floods. Meanwhile the Times of India News Service reported that insufficient monsoon rains in a majority of districts of the state of Rajasthan (in NW India) are leading to another drought situation. The region received below-average rainfall during the summer monsoon of 1999 and thus faces two consecutive years of drought conditions. (OCHA, CIP) 

Western United States  The worst fire season in 50 years continued in the south central United States, where unusually hot and dry conditions persisted in September.  (DRO) ,  National Interagency Fire Center

Southeast Asia  In Vietnam, the Mekong River delta is experiencing the longest- lasting and most severe flooding to affect the area in 40 years. Flood waters throughout the region exceeded Alarm Level III (very dangerous flood conditions). The World Food Programme is providing 2-month's supply of rice to aid some 40,000 of the worst-affected flood victims. Flooding has also been reported in Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. (OCHA)(WFP)(Story)

Asia  The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns that tropical storms, typhoons and monsoon floods have seriously jeapardised food prospects and supplies in parts of China, India, Bangledesh, Nepal, Cambodia, Thailand, Viet Nam and Laos. (FAO)

Health

Afghanistan  A cholera outbreak in the drought-stricken southern, northern and western regions of Afghanistan has claimed 90 lives and affected over 20,000 people. This is the most severe drought to have affected Afghanistan in 30 years. Discovery.com; WHO. 

Saudi Arabia and Yemen In the first Rift Valley Fever (RVF) outbreak outside of Africa, the death toll has climbed to 52 in Saudi Arabia, with 160 suspected cases. In neighboring Yemen, 321 suspected cases of RVF with 32 deaths have been reported. This virus causes disease in livestock, but can be transmitted to humans by mosquitoes or from contact with infected animal blood. Recent heavy rainfalls in the southern border city of Jizan, Yemen have provided ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. CNN; WHO; WHO; ProMED. 

Thailand  Heavy flooding has resulted in a leptospirosis outbreak claiming at least 182 lives and infecting more than 5000. Outbreaks of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease carried primarily in rat urine, are worsened during periods of heavy rainfall as the urine spreads into drinking water and vegetation. ProMED. 
 

Water Resources

Central and Western Asia  Drought conditions and severe water shortages are being faced by regions of Tajikistan and Armenia, and extremely low water levels have been reported in Iran and Turkey. Turkey is facing a record electricity deficit this winter due in part due to very low water levels at its hydroelectric facilities. (Reuters) 

Mongolia Drought has resulted in severe water shortages in 20% of the country. More than 450,000 people in 13 Mongolian districts ('soums') are affected by drought-associated food shortages in the immediate term. Many of the regions affected by the drought also experienced a very severe winter during 1999 with severe loss of livestock. (OCHA) 
 

Agriculture

Korea  The Director of Agricultural Department of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea issued a statement on 25 September, 2000 as regards serious damage in the agricultural sector caused by this year's drought, heat and typhoon. The statement indicated that the amount of grain lost to natural disasters this year is estimated at more than 1.4 million tons. (ReliefWeb)

Armenia, Uzbekistan and Georgia  High temperatures and lack of rainfall, severe drought and water shortages are devestating regions planted with grain, fodder and vegetables in the mountainous and sub-mountainous northern areas of Armenia. The preliminary government estimate of damage to the agricultural sector is 40 million USD. In Uzbekistan drought has caused 300,000 tons of grain and almost 200,000 acres of rice and cotton to be lost due to crop failure. Cereal production in Georgia is estimated to be down by 58% from 1999.  (OCHA, CIP) 

South Asia  Continued dry conditions through central and northwestern India are threatening already parched oilseeds. (JAWF) 

South America  In Argentina rain is needed for winter wheat development in Cordoba. (JAWF, CPC)
 

Fisheries

Industrial fishing for small pelagics off the coast of Peru remained restricted through the month of September. Biological sampling indicates that anchovies are still spawning. Officials estimate that the ban will last through most of October. Cumulative catch of small pelagics for 2000 is approximately 7.4 million metric tons. 
 

Material for this portion of the IRI Climate Information Digest has been extracted from the UN/OCHA Reliefweb (RW), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Doctors Without Borders (DWB), Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED) , USDA/NOAA Joint Agricultural Weather Facility (JAWF) and the Fishmeal Exporters Organization. Additional information was obtained from the NOAA/OGP Climate Information Program, Red Cross/CNN/IBM Disaster Relief, Earth Alert, CNN, and the Power Marketing Association PMA.