The Human Imprint

many believed dead after Nepal flash floods

The Independent reports that police said the death toll has reached 17 from flash flooding in western Nepal. Another 47 people are missing and presumed dead. The flooding was triggered by an avalanche that blocked the river about 125 miles north west of the capital, Katmandu.Follow the link to read more.

Drought and floods at once

It isn't just the UK that is having floods and drought at the same time. BBC News reports that severe flooding has forced thousands of families to flee their homes in Brazil's Amazon region. It comes as the worst drought in 30 years in the north-east of the country has led to water rationing there.

Hosepipe ban enforced in UK

Hosepipe bans affecting about 20 million customers have been introduced by seven water authorities in parts of southern and eastern England.

Drought hits 4 million hectares of China's crops

About 4 million hectares of crops are suffering from a severe drought in China that has hit 13 provinces including the major farming province of Sichuan in southwest China, state news agency Xinhua said .The drought has left 7.8 million people and 4.6 million livestock without adequate drinking water. Follow the link to find out more

Source: Scientific American

State of emergency has been declared in Fiji

BBC News reports that flooding has affected Fiji.

Source: BBC News

Concerns over India rivers order

BBC News reports that A supreme court order in India asking the government to link more than 30 rivers and divert waters to parched areas has sparked concerns in neighbouring countries.

"Bangladesh says it would be hardest hit because it is a downstream country to two major rivers that flow from India. New Delhi is yet to respond to the neighbouring countries' reactions. The multi-billion-dollar project was announced by the Indian government in 2002 but had since remained on paper. Experts in Nepal say the country's unstable political situation could open the door for India to build dams and reservoirs in Nepalese territory for the inter-linking project - known as the ILR. Hydrologists say as an upstream country, Nepal has ideal locations for the infrastructure required to make the mammoth Indian project happen. Bhutan too has similar locations and some of its rivers are tributaries to the Bramhaputra, a major river system in the region included in India's river-linking project". Follow the link to read the full report.

Water use in Europe

Check out this interesting Euractiv.com article. The part that caught my eye was:

"Globally, agriculture accounts for 70% of freshwater consumption while in the EU, the average is 24%, according to UN and EU figures. But in several southern countries, the figure approaches 90% - leading to rationing of supplies in the driest months".

War for water in Chile's Atacama Desert: Vines or mines?

Check out this BBC News report - are problems with water impacting now?

Increased risk of conflict over scarce fresh water

Scientific American reports that fresh water supplies are unlikely to keep up with global demand by 2040, increasing political instability, hobbling economic growth and endangering world food markets. The report by the office of the Director of National Intelligence said that areas including South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa will face major challenges in coping with water problems that could hinder the ability to produce food and generate energy.

Follow the link to read more.

More of US at risk to sea level rise

Associated Press report that nearly 4 million people in the US live in homes prone to flooding from rising sea levels.

"The cities that have the most people living within three feet (one meter) of high tide — the projected sea level rise by the year 2100 made by many scientists and computer models — are in Florida, Louisiana, and New York. New York City, often not thought of as a city prone to flooding, has 141,000 people at risk, which is second only to New Orleans' 284,000. The two big Southeast Florida counties, Miami-Dade and Broward, have 312,000 people at risk combined. All told, 3.7 million people live in homes within three feet of high tide. More than 500 US cities have at least 10 percent of the population at increased risk, the studies said".

Follow the link for more details.