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Excerpts from The Earth Changes
Report
EUROPE BESIEGED BY NEVER ENDING STORMS
In Europe, the litany of rain, snow, flash floods, mudslides and other weather-related disasters - ongoing in some places from the fall - continued into the new year. Blizzards, high winds and torrential rain killed several people, wreaked havoc on roads and seas and forced many to leave their homes all across Europe. In southwestern France, where it has rained in some places for a month without stopping, many towns remained underwater. In Germany, cities along the Rhine and Mosel rivers were evacuated for a second time as flood waters inundated the region. in southern and central England, 155 flood alerts have been issued on swollen rivers, where some places have been under water for more than 30 days
FIRE AND ICE IN SYDNEY
The first days of January brought southern Australia out-of-control bush fires and raging firestorms spawned by hot, dry winds. Over 24,837 people were evacuated, 1.5 million acres of bushland were destroyed and at least four people were killed. Then on Jan. 17, hail the size of marbles and rain storms accompanied by gale-force winds and lightening bombarded Sydney. The storms uprooted trees, tore roofs off houses and shopping centers and caused serious hailstone damage. The storms helped douse the few remaining bushfires, most of which were already under control because of the cool sea breezes and patchy rain of the week before. New fears are that heavy rain will wash away seeds and topsoil vital for regeneration of the burned-out landscape.
EAST COAST QUAKES
Pennsylvania has started 1994 with almost every Earth change possible. In addition to the frigid, record breaking temperatures, paralyzing winter storms and widespread power outages, they also were shaken by 2 good sized earthquakes. On Jan 15, a 4.0 earthquake struck near Reading, followed by a 4.6 about an hour later. Damage was concentrated in a 3-square-mile area of the Wyomissing hills section near Reading. Dozens of homes received damage to foundations and walls. Several cracks appeared in roadways and an 8 feet deep by 25 feet wide sinkhole opened up in Lower Heidelberg Township, Berks County. The 4.6 quake is the largest earthquake ever recorded in southeastern Pennsylvania. The tremors were felt in Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore and as far away as Toronto. The Reading area experienced a series of 2.5- to 3-point earthquakes last May.
MYSTERIOUS VIRUS KILLING CALIFORNIA'S DEER
From the redwood forests of Yreka to Yosemite National Park to the coast of Marin County, hundreds of deer have died of a lethal virus that alters DNA and affects the respiratory system. Since July, the virus has struck over hundreds of miles apart - rapidly crossing cities, interstates and mountain ranges. Animal disease experts say there is no way to treat the disease and that it will have to run its course. US Davis veterinarians have made the outbreak their priority as they continue to try to isolate the virus so they can attempt to find a cause for the new disease.
JANUARY WEATHER BREAKS RECORDS IN U.S.
There were so many rain storms, snow storms, ice storms, wind storms, and ongoing floods throughout the globe that we could barely keep up with the information. In the U.S., life-threatening, sub-zero temperatures broke records in the Northern Plains, throughout the Midwest, South and the Northeast. High winds creating a wind chill factor, made the already frigid temperatures worse. Temperatures dropped to as much as 15 below. Airports were closed several times throughout the month in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, North Carolina and other states throughout the Midwest and South.
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