Bird Flu Update
More cases of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza were discovered
across parts of Southeast Asia, and in smuggled birds intercepted
in Europe. Thousands of birds died from bird flu in eight villages
on the Indonesian island of Java.
Bird Flu Update
More cases of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza were discovered across parts of Southeast Asia, and in smuggled birds intercepted in Europe. Thousands of birds died from bird flu in eight villages on the Indonesian island of Java.
Authorities believe the virus may have been spread by villagers who threw the carcasses of previously infected birds into a river. In Thailand, the 12th human victim of bird flu was confirmed after a 14-year-old girl died of the virus in the northern province of Sukhothai. Pakistan warned it is preparing for a repeat of last year’s outbreak as migratory birds, approaching the country for the winter months, posed a risk to the nation’s poultry. Two Asian mountain hawk eagles found in a Thai man’s baggage at Brussels airport were found to be infected with avian influenza. Customs officials and the Thai man were treated with anti-viral medication.
Dumbo the Rummy
A violent attack by drunken elephants killed three people in a northeastern India tribal village after the animals stormed into town to drink an illegal brew.
The attack was the latest in a wave of such incidents within the last two weeks – at a time of year when bootleg rice beer is traditionally brewed. “The elephants entered the village and guzzled locally made rice beer kept in (outside) drums, and then went on a rampage, killing three people, including a woman,” an Assam state forest official told reporters.
Elephants have killed at least 150 people in Assam during the last five years, according to official figures. Angry villagers have retaliated by slaying up to 200 elephants during the same period.
Earthquakes
A swarm of powerful quakes in northwestern Japan’s Niigata prefecture killed at least 35 people and injured more than 3,400 others. More than 100,000 people were evacuated into overcrowded emergency shelters and tents after three of the strongest quakes destroyed homes, buildings and roads.
• Earth movements were also felt in southern Sumatra, southwestern Tibet, the Kazakhstan-China border region, the Ethiopia-Eritrea border region, eastern Romania, northern Colombia, the central coast of California and Southern California.
Tropical Cyclones
Strong winds and torrential rains from Typhoon Nock-ten killed four people and disrupted transportation across much of Taiwan. Flying debris injured about 100 people. The storm’s eye passed just north of the capital, Taipei, before Nock-ten made a sharp turn toward the northeast and weakened.
• Tropical Storm 02S formed northeast of Madagascar, and was predicted to weaken before making landfall on the coast of Tanzania late in the week.
Syrian Blazes
A wildfire sparked in northwest Syria near the Turkish border blackened 5,000 acres of forest and orchards, and destroyed several houses.
The fires erupted north of the Mediterranean port city of Latakia, then spread rapidly inland. One man was killed when his home was burned, and dozens of other people were hospitalized for smoke inhalation. Acting on a request from Syria, the Turkish army dispatched three planes to help douse the blazes.
Eruptions
An erupting volcano on one of Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) northern islands has polluted fresh water supplies and destroyed crops around four villages, forcing thousands of people to flee to safety.
Mount Iabu, on the island of Manam, threw up fountains of lava and plumes of ash, which rained down on gardens and destroyed banana plantations.
A spokeswoman for PNG Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare said most people were in church on Sunday morning when the volcano erupted, which may have saved them from falling fist-sized rocks and hot ash. The last eruption of Iabu in 1996 killed 13 people.
• The U.S. Geological Survey said magma, pushing to the surface of Mount St. Helens at the rate of about a dump truck load per second, has caused the volcano’s dome to grow to the size of a 35-story building within the last two weeks.
Biotech Cats
A Los Angeles firm is taking orders for a genetically engineered cat it claims will be free of the allergy-causing proteins that plague millions of cat lovers.
Allerca Inc. says it will use RNA interference to “silence” a gene in cats that produces the irritant, which is excreted through feline saliva and skin.
The company is accepting $250 deposits from interested parties for the British Shorthair breed of cats that it eventually plans to charge $3,500 a piece for in the United States.
President Simon Brodie said all of the biotech cats will be spayed and neutered to prevent them from breeding with naturally born felines.
– By Steve Newman
