What is the best solution for environmental refugees?
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A Look at Timing of Asian Quake Aid, Â Heavy Rain, Hail Slow Quake Aid Effort,
Hopes fade for quake victims, Â Desperate Quake Victims Mob Relief Trucks,
Concerns quake toll may reach 40,000, Â UN seeks $272 mln for quake, toll may exceed Bam,
U.N. Warns of Disease in Asia Quake Zone, Â Kashmiri Separatists Dispense Quake Aid,
Outdoor Hospital Aids Quake Victims, Â Pakistanis flee quake city before winter bites,
U.S. Sends Aid to Pakistan Quake Victims, Â Residents: Cracked Building Foretold Quake
The earthquake struck Kashmir and surrounding areas on Saturday morning. Local rescue efforts begin immediately but help from nearby is delayed because the roads are impassable. Soon offers of help arrived. Help starts to arrive from further afield on Sunday, including helicopters, rescue dogs, earth moving equipment, medicine, and food. More help arrives as the days pass.
Relief flights were cancelled Tuesday because of heavy rain and hail. Water soaked through the material of tents being used for a hospital. Few dare to go inside buildings, day or night. Scuffles broke out over some of the food that did arrive. A few people were rescued from the rubble. Hopes were fading of finding more.
Separatists from the Indian side of Kashmir handed out food and supplies in Indian Kashmir. India and Pakistan have squabbled over Kashmir since 1948
Roughly 23,000 people in Pakistan and 1,200 in India are known to have died. The death toll may reach 40,000, more that in Iranian city of Bam two years ago. The United Nations has appealed for $272 million for quake survivors. It fears outbreaks of measles and waterborne diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea.
Winter is close in the Himalayan foothills, and with no homes, electricity or sanitation, many people are heading for the lowlands.
The Margalla Towers, an up-market 10-story apartment building in Islamabad, collapsed although few other buildings there did. Residents had complained of hairline cracks which they thought might have been caused by a previous earthquake. They had filed a suit 5 years ago.
Other stories
Guatemala Debates Landslide Victim Search, Â Guatemala's Indians Refuse Flood Aid,
Rumsfeld OKs Central American Flood Aid
Mayan communities in Guatemala have practiced strict burial traditions for centuries, where the dead are buried in individual graves, after a daylong mourning ceremony attended by family, neighbours and friends. In some villages relatives are still digging out bodies but burying them in mass graves. Other villages are being abandoned as mass graves. There has been considerable debate about the best way to proceed. Villagers refused offers of help recovering the dead from soldiers, recalling army massacres during the 1960-96 civil war.
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld approved the sending of military helicopters, food and other aid to Central America where there have been massive mud slides.
Tsunami Warning System to Be Installed
A tsunami warning system is to be installed on Sumatra island. It is expected to be operational by the end of the year.
Environmental decay may prompt refugee surge-study
The U.N. estimates that 50 million people will be environmental refugees by 2010; driven from their homes by desertification, rising sea levels, flooding and storms linked to climate change. There could be as many as 20 million already, but because the changes are slower than earthquakes or hurricanes, they have fallen under the radar and receive no aid. For example, the entire population of Pacific island state of Tuvalu may need to relocate to New Zealand if the sea levels rise as predicted due to global warming. Also, the Gobi desert in China is expanding by more than 3,900 sq mile a year.
East Coast Flooding Leaves 4 Missing
At least four people were missing after the East Coast flooding during which at least 10 people died.
Early Snowstorm Kills Three in Colorado
Vince Weakens to Tropical Storm
Tropical Storm Vince weakened but was expected reach Portugal or Spain early Tuesday.
Please see the following message for the remaining stories. Sue [sysop in NewsForum, World Issues, All Animals forums] | 
