By Tom Konvicka Chief Meteorologist
CYCLONE NARGISA disaster of staggering proportions is unfolding in the impoverished nation of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. The death toll now exceeds 22,000 and will rise considerably as the casualties from the Mon or Karen States are counted. It would not surprise me if the number of deaths reached 50,000. This will be the worst natural disaster in the world since the horrendous Indonesian tsunami in 2004.
Tropical Cyclone Nargis hit the coast of Myanmar as a strong Cat. 3 cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. The storm passed directly over the densely populated and low-lying Irrawaddy River delta. A storm surge of 12 feet took most of the lives but the extreme winds also killed many as well. Nargis was a small tropical cyclone, about one-fourth the area of Hurricane Katrina in the U.S. in 2005, and this is the only fortunate thing in this mega-disaster.
Insiders say that the gravity of the disaster will be made worse by ignorant leaders who have never traveled outside of the country before. They have no education and maintain control of the nation by diverting resources to the military and to political cronies. The government considers the people of the affected region to be "minority" and aid will come very slowly to those who need it the most.
WATCH OUT FOR THE "VOG"
Crops on the Big Island are dying as sulfur dioxide from volcano Kilauea is blown over them and envelops them in a "vog," or volcanic smog. People are getting sick and children are not going to school. Thousands of visitors have been evacuated from the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
A new vent in the volcano opened farther inland recently and southerly winds bring the volcanic debris to Oahu and bathing Honolulu in a light vog.
TORNADOES IN THE U.S.
The 2008 U.S. tornado season is off to a record start. A preliminary total of 486 tornadoes through April 30th breaks the old record set back in 1999. Recent tornado headlines include the April 28th outbreak in Virginia that injured 200 people and caused considerable property damage and the May 2nd tornado family in Arkansas that took seven lives. More tornadoes will occur over the next two days as a vigorous upper-level feature lifts into the Plains.
Is the active tornado season a result of climate change? I'll present some thoughts on that interesting topic in a series of blogs this week.
Best,
Tom Konvicka