Record FloodingThe worst floods to strike the...

Record Flooding

The worst floods to strike the Czech Republic this century swept away houses, roads and railroad tracks in the east of the country. Relentless rains caused rivers and streams to rise to roof level in some villages, washing cars and trucks away.

Other parts of Eastern Europe were plagued by flash floods unleashed by the same summertime storm. Nine people died in Poland after several days of heavy downpours caused extensive flooding, especially in the country’s Tatry Mountains.

Floods described as the worst in 20 years killed 21 people and destroyed thousands of homes in China’s Guangdong province. It was the second round of severe flooding to strike this summer.

El Nino Emergency

Ecuador’s President Fabian Alarcon declared a national emergency to give his government special power to cope with the developing El Nino ocean warming phenomenon. Sea-surface temperatures have already reached several degrees above normal off the western coast of South America, setting the stage for torrential rainstorms during the next few months.

Wildfires

High heat and drought conditions sparked several large wildfires from Greece and Serbia northward to Russia’s Altai region. Blazes blackened 24,000 acres of pine forest near the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki. There were more than 20 major fires across the country.

At least 14 firefighters were killed by lightning-sparked blazes that destroyed more than 60,000 acres of forest in southern Russia.

Heat Waves

Sweltering summer heat baked several areas of Asia from the Indian subcontinent to Japan. Pakistan was the hardest hit, with at least 30 fatalities reported during a two-day period that produced temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Officials reported that the heat also killed large numbers of animals and birds.

Urban Deforestation

Russia’s Itar-Tass news agency reported that more than 250,000 trees were killed in 1996 in metropolitan Moscow because of various forms of pollution. One of the deadliest influences was said to be the salting of pavements to melt ice and snow during Russian winters. Authorities plan to implement a new method for planting trees that will use tile containers placed well above the sidewalks.

Earthquakes

A powerful temblor rocked Venezuela’s central and eastern coastal region, toppling buildings and killing at least 59 people. It was the country’s worst quake in three decades.

Earth movements were also felt in central Chile, Honduras, metropolitan Tokyo, Taiwan, Western Australia, southern Iran, southern Spain and parts of Southern California.

Additional Sources: U.S. Climate Analysis Center, U.S. Earthquake Information Center and the World Meteorological Organization.