olelog

What on earth

Philippine mudslide

At nine o’clock local time this morning (17 February 2006) a major landslide buried an entire village, Guinsaugon, on the southern part of the island of Leyte. [PS of 18 February: 1,800 people are feared dead following the landslide.]

Has illegal logging contributed to the disaster?

The landslide followed heavy rains that dumped about 200cm of rain on the area in the space of 10 days.

The area lies in the path of several typhoons each year. The Philippines is lashed by about 20 typhoons each year.

Southern Leyte was the scene of one of the country's worst disasters in recent years, when more than 5,000 people died in 1991 in floods triggered by a typhoon.



A La Niña event seems to be developing. La Niña is characterized by unusually COLD ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific, compared to El Niño, which is characterized by unusually WARM ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific. Unusually cool surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean lead to higher numbers of typhoons.

See also La Nina's return threatens more hurricanes at http://www.cnn.com/2006/WEATHER/02/02/nina.ap/

Ole

Of Plants. Rivers and Greenhouse GasesToo hot for a swim

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