Wednesday, June 8, 2011

climate refugees

42 million displaced by natural disasters in 2010
More than twice as many people forced to flee as in 2009; Experts eye climate change as driving increase in storms and floods

"The intensity and frequency of extreme weather events is increasing, and this trend is only set to continue. With all probability, the number of those affected and displaced will rise as human-induced climate change comes into full force," said Elisabeth Rasmusson, the secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council.
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In the United States, tornadoes have wreaked havoc from Alabama to Massachusetts, while floods have inundated states from Montana to Louisiana. In the southwest Missouri city of Joplin, the U.S.'s deadliest tornado in six decades killed at least 141 people and destroyed more than 8,000 homes in a city of about 50,000 people.
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And then there's fires:

The National Weather Service has issued a 'Red Flag Warning' for southeastern Arizona, most of New Mexico, as well as parts of northern Texas, Colorado and Oklahoma as amid critical fire weather conditions.

Photos: Latest Photos: Wallow Fire Burns 300,000 Acres, Thousands Evacuated

Wildfires have burned more than 3million acres so far this year in the drought-stricken southern tier of states, mainly in Texas and New Mexico. The drought has stretched west to Arizona and as far east as Georgia.

Firefighters use fire to redirect blaze in eastern Arizona

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