Prayers for rain
A chief of Sri Lanka’s meteorological department contradicted
claims by the Buddhist faithful who believed that monks sprinkling
holy water over the region from a military helicopter had ended the
island’s devastating drought. Director-general G.
Prayers for rain
A chief of Sri Lanka’s meteorological department contradicted claims by the Buddhist faithful who believed that monks sprinkling holy water over the region from a military helicopter had ended the island’s devastating drought. Director-general G. H. P. Dharmaratne said the subsequent torrential rain and gale-force winds immediately following the ceremony were attributed to the “inter-monsoonal activity in keeping with normal weather patterns.” But top monk Kotapola Amarakiththi told reporters that the sprinkling of holy water had brought an “instant rain” that forced the returning aircraft to make a detour to avoid turbulence.
Earthquakes
One of the most powerful earthquakes ever to rock northern and central Argentina killed one woman and sparked widespread evacuations of public buildings. The magnitude 6.3 temblor was centered in the border area of Catamarca and La Rioja provinces.
• The strongest in a swarm of powerful undersea quakes off Japan’s Honshu Island caused widespread panic and an ocean surge up to 44 inches in height washing onto Wakayama and Owase prefectures. Some people tumbled down stairs or were hit by falling objects during the shaking.
• At least 18 people were injured by a magnitude 5.0 tremor in northwestern China’s Gansu province that also wrecked hundreds of buildings in remote Minxian county.
Eruptions
A flow of lava wide enough to cover a city block began pouring from Sicily’s Mount Etna after a new fissure emerged on the volcano’s southeastern slope. Vulcanologists said the non-gaseous nature of the new flow indicated there was no threat of an explosion within Europe’s highest volcano.
• A plume of ash soared 2.5 miles into the sky of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula after Karymsky Volcano produced an explosive eruption. Experts said the activity did not threaten any populated areas.
Record floods
Rainstorms with an intensity not expected to occur more than once in a century devastated a wide area of southwest China’s Sichuan province, leaving 164 people dead, scores missing and thousands sick or injured. Authorities made an urgent appeal for relief supplies in the wake of floods and mudslides that damaged or destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes. Crews rushed to provide fresh water, food and temporary housing in an attempt to avert outbreaks of disease.
Tropical cyclones
Florida was raked by the second severe hurricane in less than a month when Frances roared ashore from the Atlantic. The storm claimed at least eight lives, caused billions of dollars in damage and spawned numerous tornadoes. Frances later drenched much of the eastern United States as it lost force over the region.
• Hurricane Ivan’s 140 mph winds left at least 20 people dead and caused extensive damage on Grenada and other Caribbean islands.
• Typhoon Songda, the second such storm to drench almost the entire length of Japan within a week, killed at least 30 people and left several missing.
• Tropical Storm Sarika formed briefly in the western Pacific, while Cyclone Phoebe churned the northeastern Indian Ocean for two days.
– By Steve Neuman
