Tornado Hits Florida

A storm front moving along the Florida Peninsula on October 31 left thirty people injured and destroyed homes. Fire fighters had to help rescue residents from rubble of beachside homes.

Unprecedented Rainfall in California

Southern California was struck with unexpected rainfall early in the storm season; up to 7 inches of rain fell in Laguna Beach, causing flashfloods and mudslides. Residents of the area were forced from their homes and businesses.

Floods in Somalia

Weeks of heavy rainfall caused two major rivers in southern Somalia to over flow, trapping residents without food. An estimate 220,000 people were forced to leave their homes due to the high waters.

Cold Weather Takes Southern States by Surprise

Throughout December, various cold fronts plagued the lower east coast, sending blankets of snow and ice over many communities. Central Mississippi reported a record 10 inches of snow fall during the week of December 15, causing power outages and tree damage. During the last week of 1997, Texas suffered with flooding and evacuation of homes. The Texas panhandle reported six inches of snow fall; Amarillo itself was forced to cancel flights at its International airport. Storm watches were posted in Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama. The storm which generated the heavy precipitation caused tornadoes in central Florida, thirty-five miles south of Orlando. Damages were estimated at $5 million. Remnants of the storm soon moved to New England sending pouring rain and strong winds across the coast. Central New York was buried under two feet of snow; Syracuse reported 25 inches of snow, placing it under a state of emergency. In New York City, driving rain and wind gusts caused the collapse of a six-story building.

TWA Flight 800 Again Making Headlines

In early December, crash investigators of the doomed TWA flight to Paris released new evidence on the plane crash. The possibilities of a bomb or missile no longer are an option; mechanical failure is the named cause of the explosion. New theories regarding frayed wires and faulty fuel pumpings are being considered as the cause of the fatal ignition. As a result, the transportation industry is reconstructing the designs of long distance jets.

Volcanic Activity Emerging in California Resort Area

Earthquake activity near the resort community of Mammoth Lakes have created concerns of a future possible volcanic eruption. There is also a likelihood that the water supply will be contaminated by falling ash and volcanic gas. Geologists cannot predict the exact time or severity of such an occurrence, however, the recent increase of earthquakes in the area is a good sign of possible. Residents of the surrounding areas are concerned how this outbreak of “bad press” might interfere with their tourism and local industries.

Decrease in Global Forest Acreage

The World Wide Fund for Nature indicated that 1997 was the worst year for tropical rain forest burning. Up to 12.4 million acres forest and other land were burned in Indonesia and Brazil alone. Other countries noted for burning excessively were Columbia, Peru, Tanzania, Kenya, and Rwanda. An increase in respiratory illnesses and pollution are expected as a result.

Typhoon Paka Hits Guam

Twenty percent of Guam’s residencies were destroyed in a typhoon during the week of December 18th. With winds gusts up to 200 mph, the storm caused at least $100 million dollars in damage.

Bitter Cold Sweeps Across Europe and USA

During mid-December, record low temperatures caused the deaths of about 50 people over much of Europe. Temperatures dropped as low as -19.8 causing three apartment buildings to crack in Moscow. The winter has also caused rough seas and low visibility over the Romanian Black Sea. At least 250 villages in the east and southern parts of the country were without power. Britain was battered with hurricane-force winds; loss of electricity to thousands of homes and at least three deaths were attributed to the inclement weather. Canada and Vermont also became victims of severe winter conditions. The week of January 11 produced the worst ice storm recorded for Canada, causing power lines and trees to collapse under weight of the ice. It was predicted that residents of southeast Montreal could spend 15 days without power. In Quebec 3 million people are without power. At least 11 deaths are attributed to the weather. Overall, by early January, tens of millions of dollars in damage accumulated.

Fertilizer Plant Causes Evacuation of Homes

A fire erupted at a fertilizer plant on Jan. 4, in Maysville, KY. Approximately two thousands residents were moved away from the Ohio River plant as potential explosive and toxic chemicals burned. The cause of the fire is not yet determined.

Floods in Australia

Due to torrential rains cars and buildings have been swept away in resulting floods and mudslides in Townsville, Australia. Fourteen people were reported missing and one death was attributed to the rising waters. The conditions were declared a state of emergency by State Premier Rob Borbridge. One hundred thousand people experienced the worst flooding in the area. Damage to property is estimated at tens of millions of dollars.

Earthquake Hits China

In Beijing, China a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck on January 10, killing at least 50 people. Soldiers carried tents and supplies to tens of thousands of residents affected. About 10,00 people in Shangyi county were made homeless. Aftershocks continued afterwards, up to 100, jolting the county Hebei.