Midwinter ChillsAn outbreak of arctic air that...

Midwinter Chills

An outbreak of arctic air that blanketed much of the central U.S. with frigid temperatures during the previous week spread deep into Mexico. At least seven people perished from hypothermia or cold-related accidents in the north of the country. A rare snowfall in the mountains surrounding Mexico City sent residents driving to the high country for a taste of northern holiday weather. Several homeless people from France to eastern Russia died when much of northern Europe was plunged into a deep freeze. Temperatures plunged to 14 degrees below zero Fahrenheit in Moscow.

Warming Diseases

Fears that the global warming could lead to outbreaks of tropical disease in new locations were confirmed by a study by New Zealand doctors. Researchers at the Wellington School of Medicine’s public health department published a report in the medical journal Lancet that said outbreaks of dengue in South Pacific islands are directly related to climate change in the region.

Tropical Storms

Authorities say that at least 88 people are dead after tropical storm Greg battered the Indonesian province of Sabah. In the worst disaster to hit the region in years, the storm destroyed at least 100 homes and sank many boats. Weak tropical cyclone Phil formed briefly over the waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria, then dissipated after moving ashore in Australia’s Northern Territory.

Earthquakes

A strong temblor rocked Tokyo and central Japan, injuring one man but causing on significant damage. The initial shaking was followed by several strong aftershocks. A powerful earthquake centered in southwestern China’s Sichuan Province cracked walls in Baiyu County and neighboring Tibet. Earth movements were also felt in Syria, northern Thailand and northern parts of India and Pakistan.

Landslide

Heavy monsoon rains falling over Papua New Guinea triggered a landslide that buried an entire village. Disaster and Emergency Services director Leith Anderson said that 17 people were confirmed dead, and another 21 were presumed to have perished.

Floods

Torrential rains drenched Spain, unleashing flash floods in several areas. Main roads were cut off when rivers overflowed their banks. The rains damaged Spanish olive, strawberry and winter grain crops, and forced more than 4,000 people to evacuate their homes. The storms also were responsible for a tornado that ripped through the seaside resort of Matalascanas for five minutes, tossing three buses into the air and tearing roots off houses.

Wildlife Virus

Two tigers and three leopards have died of viral fever since early December in a central Indian game reserve. Amitabh Agnihotri, director of the Van Vihar reserve near the city of Bhopal, said the disease is feline panleukopenia and can be treated only with a special vaccine unavailable in India. He said a shipment had been rushed from the United States and administered to two other ailing tigers.

Additional sources: Japanese Meteorological Agency, U.S. National Hurricane Center at Miami, U.S. Climate Analysis Center, U.S. Earthquake Information Center and the United Nations World Meteorological Organization.

Copyrighted 1996 Chronicle Features