January 14, 2011

2010, a year of natural disasters

In the year 2010, it was recorded to have the worse natural disasters ever recorded. Plus 2010 was also the warmest year since global surface was recorded in 1880.

Some of the worse natural disasters in 2010:

  • Pakistan Flood - that kills almost 1500 people and displace almost 20 million more.
  • Russian Heatwave - in Moscow, the temperature rise 7.6 degrees celcius above normal. About 11,000 people died due to excessive heat in Moscow alone. Thousand of land dried up that led to increase food prices due to crop failure.
  • Australian Flood - In May 2010, before the 2011 flood, most of Australia was submerged in water. Related to erratic La Nina occurrence from the Pacific.
  • Hot Earth - Canada had it warmest year, with 3 degrees above normal. Even the winter Olympic lack snow. Northern part of Africa, Arabian Peninsula and part of Southwest Asia also recorded some of highest temperature.
  • Amazon basin experience drought, an occurrence never before seen.
  • Arctic ice cap shrank during the summer to its third smallest in satellite record.
The evidences is there, I think people are aware of the danger of global warming, but people still doesn't know how to help with it. Start small, recycle, conserve energy, use recyclable material, use less plastics, and try using public transport once in a while.

If we don't take care of the planet, who will?

source: Reuter's bureaus, UN's Meteorological Organization.

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