Storm Brings Wind, Rain To Midwest, South

by The Associated Press

Enlarge Associated Press Terry North, 28, walks past a section of a roof that blew off his apartment in Covington, Ky., during a storm, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010.

Associated Press

Terry North, 28, walks past a section of a roof that blew off his apartment in Covington, Ky., during a storm, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010.

Enlarge Associated Press Two Red Cross workers walk away from a barn that was lifted off its foundation by a tornado Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010, in Mount Pleasant, Wis. Wisconsin is one of eleven states in the midwest under a high wind warning.

Associated Press

Two Red Cross workers walk away from a barn that was lifted off its foundation by a tornado Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010, in Mount Pleasant, Wis. Wisconsin is one of eleven states in the midwest under a high wind warning.

Enlarge Associated Press Chattanooga Police officer Galen Roberts, right, gets information from motorist Ashley Mills following an accident around the Chickamauga Dam on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Associated Press

Chattanooga Police officer Galen Roberts, right, gets information from motorist Ashley Mills following an accident around the Chickamauga Dam on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Associated Press Damages tree limbs can be seen near a barn that was lifted off its foundation by a tornado Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010, in Mount Pleasant, Wis. Wisconsin is one of eleven states in the midwest under a high wind warning.

Enlarge Associated Press A knocked down tree is shown Tuesday Oct. 26, 2010, after a tornado touched down near Racine, Wis.

Associated Press

A knocked down tree is shown Tuesday Oct. 26, 2010, after a tornado touched down near Racine, Wis.

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CHICAGO October 27, 2010, 08:07 am ET

A massive storm making its way through a big chunk of the nation brought a bit of everything: strong winds, rain, tornadoes and now even some snow for parts of the Midwest.
The storm packed wind gusts of up to 81 mph Tuesday as it howled across the Midwest and South, snapping trees and power lines, ripping off roofs and delaying flights. The storm continued its trek early Wednesday, with snow falling in the Dakotas and Minnesota. More strong winds were in the forecast in several other states.
National Weather Service reports indicate as much as 8 inches of snow fell in North Dakota. Linnea Reeves, a Walmart employee in Bismarck, N.D., said the snow has already made roads hazardous in her neighborhood.
"The weather is not very nice out here. The winds are picking up and it's very snowy very slick," Reeves said. "I've got my snow shovel in my car in case I get stuck."
A blizzard warning was in effect Wednesday for North Dakota, where up to 10 inches was expected in some areas. Lighter snow was expected in Wisconsin, Minnesota and South Dakota.
The unusual system mesmerized meteorologists because of its size and because it had barometric pressure that was similar to a Category 3 hurricane, but with much less destructive power.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the system's pressure reading Tuesday was among the lowest ever in a non-tropical storm in the mainland U.S. Spokeswoman Susan Buchanan said the storm was within the top five in terms of low pressure, which brings greater winds.
The fast-moving storm blew in from the Pacific Northwest on the strength of a jet stream that is about one-third stronger than normal for this time of year, said David Imy, operations chief at the NOAA's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla. As the system moved into the nation's heartland, it drew in warm air needed to fuel thunderstorms. Then the winds intensified and tornadoes formed.
By Tuesday morning, sustained winds were about 35 to 40 mph and gusting much higher. A gust of 81 mph was recorded in Butlerville, Ohio, and 80 mph in Greenfield, Ind., according to NOAA.
Tornadoes whirled through Racine County, Wis., where two people were injured when a section of roof was torn off a tractor factory, and in Van Wert County, Ohio, near the Indiana border, where a barn was flattened and flipped over a tractor-trailer and camper. In Lincoln County, N.C., 11 people were injured and several homes damaged when a possible tornado touched down, emergency management officials said. An apparent tornado on the Chickamauga Dam in Chattanooga, Tenn., caused an accident that led to the closure of the highway and injured several people. A tornado also touched down in Peotone, Ill., where three people were injured when a home's roof came off, and twisters were suspected in several other states.
The National Weather Service confirmed that eight tornadoes struck in Indiana Tuesday, but that no serious damage or injuries were reported.
Sheryl Uthemann, 49, was working first shift at the Case New Holland plant in Mount Pleasant, Wis., when the storm blew through and started to lift the roof.
"It was just a regular workday and all of a sudden that noise just came and (co-workers) said 'Run! Run! Run!' You didn't have time to think," she said. "I looked up where the noise was coming from and saw pieces of the roof sucked up. I've never been more scared, ever."
With rain falling in western Wisconsin, Xcel Energy was watching for the potential failure of a hydroelectric dam near Ladysmith after a small sinkhole developed in an earthen embankment. No evacuations were ordered. The dam is in a rural area on the Flambeau River.
In the Indiana town of Wanatah, about 60 miles southeast of Chicago, a pole barn at a hydraulics company was destroyed, and two homes were severely damaged, though no injuries were reported.
In the Chicago suburb of Lindenhurst, a woman was injured when a branch fell about 65 feet from a large tree, crashed into her car and impaled her abdomen.
Meteorologists said the storm's barometric pressure readings were comparable to those of a Category 3 hurricane but with much weaker winds. The wind gusts were only as strong as a tropical storm. Category 3 hurricanes have winds from 111 to 130 mph. If Tuesday's low-pressure system had been over water — where winds get higher — it would have created a major hurricane, Imy said.
In the Chicago area, morning commuters faced blustery, wind-driven rain as they waited for trains.
About 500 flights were canceled and others delayed at O'Hare Airport, a major hub for American and United airlines. The storms also disrupted flights at the Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Minneapolis airports.
Chicago's 110-story Willis Tower, the nation's tallest building, closed the Skydeck observatory and retracted "The Ledge" attraction — four glass boxes that jut out from the building's 103rd floor.
In Michigan, wind speeds topped 35 mph on the five-mile Mackinac Bridge, which links the state's Upper and Lower peninsulas. Traffic continued to cross, but escorts were given to "high-profile" vehicles such as large trucks, school buses and vehicles towing trailers.
In St. Louis, strong winds were blamed for a partial building collapse that sent bricks, mortar, roofing and some window air conditioners raining down onto a sidewalk. No one was injured.
———
Associated Press writers Seth Borenstein in Washington; Karen Hawkins, Carla K. Johnson, Tamara Starks and Lindsey Tanner in Chicago; David Aguilar in Detroit; John Flesher in Traverse City, Mich.; Tom Davies in South Bend, Ind.; Jeannie Nuss in Columbus, Ohio; Doug Whiteman in Cleveland, Ohio; Gretchen Ehlke in Milwaukee; Sofia A. Mannos in Washington D.C. and Jim Suhr in St. Louis contributed to this story.

Possible Future Global Epidemic???

Drought May Threaten Much of Globe Within Decades

Dryness likely to increase substantially across Eurasia, Africa, Australia


October 19, 2010

The United States and many other heavily populated countries face a growing threat of severe and prolonged drought in coming decades, according to results of a new study by National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) scientist Aiguo Dai.
The detailed analysis concludes that warming temperatures associated with climate change will likely create increasingly dry conditions across much of the globe in the next 30 years.
The drought may reach a scale in some regions by the end of the century that has rarely, if ever, been observed in modern times.
Using an ensemble of 22 computer climate models and a comprehensive index of drought conditions, as well as analyses of previously published studies, the paper reports that by the 2030s, dryness is likely to increase substantially across most of the Western Hemisphere, along with large parts of Eurasia, Africa, and Australia.
By later this century, many of the world's most densely populated regions will be threatened with severe drought conditions.
In contrast, higher-latitude regions from Alaska to Scandinavia are likely to become more moist.
Dai cautioned that the findings are based on the best current projections of greenhouse gas emissions.
What happens in coming decades will depend on many factors, including actual future emissions of greenhouse gases as well as natural climate cycles such as El Niño.
The new findings appear this week as part of a longer review article in Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change. The study was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), NCAR's sponsor.
"This research does an excellent job of placing future warming-induced drought in the context of the historical drought record," says Eric DeWeaver, program director in NSF's Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, which funds NCAR.
"The work argues credibly that the worst consequences of global warming may come in the form of reductions in water resources."
While regional climate projections are less certain than those for the globe as a whole, Dai's study indicates that most of the western two-thirds of the United States will be significantly drier by the 2030s.
Large parts of the nation may face an increasing risk of extreme drought during the century.
"We are facing the possibility of widespread drought in the coming decades, but this has yet to be fully recognized by both the public and the climate change research community," Dai says. "If the projections in this study come even close to being realized, the consequences for society worldwide will be enormous."
Other countries and continents that could face significant drying include:

• Much of Latin America, including large sections of Mexico and Brazil
• Regions bordering the Mediterranean Sea, which could become especially dry
• Large parts of Southwest Asia
• Most of Africa and Australia, with particularly dry conditions in regions of Africa
• Southeast Asia, including parts of China and neighboring countries

The study also finds that drought risk can be expected to decrease this century across much of Northern Europe, Russia, Canada, and Alaska, as well as some areas in the Southern Hemisphere.
However, the globe's land areas should be drier overall.
"The increased wetness over the northern, sparsely populated high latitudes can't match the drying over the more densely populated temperate and tropical areas," Dai says.
Previous climate studies have indicated that global warming will probably alter precipitation patterns as the subtropics expand.
The 2007 assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that subtropical  areas will likely have precipitation declines, with high-latitude areas getting more precipitation.
In addition, previous studies by Dai have indicated that climate change may already be having a drying effect on parts of the world.
He and colleagues found that the percentage of Earth's land area stricken by serious drought more than doubled from the 1970s to the early 2000s. Last year, he headed up a research team that found that some of the world's major rivers are losing water.
In his new study, Dai turned from rain and snow amounts to drought itself, and posed a basic question: how will climate change affect future droughts?
If rainfall runs short by a given amount, it may or may not produce drought conditions, depending on how warm it is, how quickly the moisture evaporates, and other factors.
Droughts are complex events that can be associated with significantly reduced precipitation, dry soils that fail to sustain crops, and reduced levels in reservoirs and other bodies of water that can imperil drinking supplies.
A common measure called the Palmer Drought Severity Index classifies the strength of a drought by tracking precipitation and evaporation over time and comparing them to the usual variability one would expect at a given location.
Dai turned to results from the 22 computer models used by the IPCC in its 2007 report to gather projections about temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind speed, and Earth's radiative balance, based on current projections of greenhouse gas emissions.
He then fed the information into the Palmer model to calculate the PDSI index. A reading of +0.5 to -0.5 on the index indicates normal conditions, while a reading at or below -4 indicates extreme drought.
The index ranges from +10 to -10 for current climate conditions, although readings below -6 are exceedingly rare, even for small areas.
By the 2030s, the results indicated that some regions in the United States and overseas could experience particularly severe conditions, with readings potentially dropping to -4 to -6 in much of the central and western United States as well as several regions overseas, and -8 or lower in parts of the Mediterranean.
By the end of the century, many populated areas, including parts of the United States, could face readings in the range of -8 to -10, and much of the Mediterranean could fall to -15 to -20.
Such readings would be almost unprecedented.
Dai cautions that global climate models remain inconsistent in capturing precipitation changes and other atmospheric factors, especially at the regional scale.
However, the 2007 IPCC models were in stronger agreement on high- and low-latitude precipitation than those used in previous reports, says Dai.
There are also uncertainties in how well the Palmer index captures the range of conditions that future climate may produce.
The index could be overestimating drought intensity in the more extreme cases, says Dai.
On the other hand, the index may be underestimating the loss of soil moisture should rain and snow fall in shorter, heavier bursts and run off more quickly.
Such precipitation trends have already been diagnosed in the United States and several other areas over recent years, says Dai.
"The fact that the current drought index may not work for the 21st century climate is itself a troubling sign," Dai says.

-NSF-

Landslide detector wins enterprise award

14 October 2010 | By Stephen Harris

An early-warning device for detecting landslides has won a Loughborough University enterprise award.

The invention, developed by researchers in Loughborough’s civil and building engineering department, uses real-time acoustic sensors to listen for movement in the soil.

Following work funded by the EPSRC and built in collaboration with the British Geological Survey, researchers last year conducted successful trials of the sensor and won the commercialisation category of the university’s Enterprise Awards 2010.

Existing monitoring systems measure the physical movement of devices planted in the ground and are checked at regular intervals to provide an indication of the average size and speed of movement.

Loughborough’s device, called Assessment of Landslides using Acoustic Real-time Monitoring Systems (ALARMS), detects high-frequency stress waves produced by soil movement. Because they are continuously monitored by wireless communication, they can be used to calculate soil movement in real time.

The challenge was finding a way to detect the very small stress waves given off by soil movement, said Neil Dixon, professor of geotechnical engineering at Loughborough and co-inventor of ALARMS together with Matthew Spriggs.

‘When rocks fracture they give off lots of energy as acoustic emissions,’ added Dixon. ‘But most landslides are in soils and you get very low energy when two soil particles move against each other and the stress wave loses energy very quickly in the ground.’

ALARMS uses a steel tube called a wave guide to conduct the signals out of the ground. This is placed in a borehole in the ground filled with sand or gravel that produces more energy when moved than the soil itself, making the signal easier to detect.

The device also detects high-frequency waves of around 20-30kHz because lower frequencies within hearing range, although they lose less energy and are easier to detect, would include background noise from other sources.

Dixon carried out tests to determine how the acoustic signal produced by the gravel related to the speed and size of movement in the ground, regardless of what kind of soil it is.

‘Because we used the same backfill and wave guide every time we can actually calibrate it,’ he said. ‘If we get a certain amount of acoustics, we can relate that to a displacement rate.’

Measuring such high-frequency waves requires very fast computing power, so Dixon, in collaboration with the British Geological Survey, also developed a low-cost instrument to process and transmit the landslide data from the wave guide.

‘It counts the number of times the signal goes above a threshold every 15 minutes and it’s that number we relate to our calibrations to tell us how fast the slope is moving,’ said Dixon.

‘This has only been possible because of the development of printed circuit boards and the processing that can now be put on small chips. We couldn’t have done this five years ago.’

Dixon has plans conduct a second set of trials this winter on infrastructure slopes around roads and railways. He also hopes for further EPSRC funds to allow him to redesign the sensor to minimise power and cost.

Read more: http://www.theengineer.co.uk/news/landslide-detector-wins-enterprise-award/1005472.article#ixzz133YWrb00

 

I think this is an absolutely brilliant example of how technology isn’t purely evil as some might argue.  Being able to get a reading on a computer telling someone that a mountain face is about to let loose is absolutely incredible.  This technology seems simple enough that it could be adopted by countries that don’t necessarily have the resources to implement a warning system of their own.  In Haiti for example, this would be an invaluable resource for them to have.  Since their area is already prone to these disasters, it is only a matter of time before some warning system will have to be implemented.   This article provides a solid explanation for how the system works, but it still leaves out some valuable details.  For example, nowhere do they elaborate on how soon they are able to detect soil movement.  It seems that if soil is already moving, the landslide is well on its way down the hill, leaving virtually no time for people to evacuate.  Knowing this information would be a good indicator on the practicality of installing this device. I definitely agree that the makers of this product are onto something.   If they can perfect this technology and make it readily accessible; it will indefinitely save countless lives.

A Different Look at Population Growth With Climate Change

The Impact of People Upon the Planet

Changes in the human population, including aging and urbanization, could significantly affect global emissions of carbon dioxide over the next 40 years.

These findings appear in a paper in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), were recognized by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Their work was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), a European Young Investigator's Award, and the Hewlett Foundation.

"By examining the relationship between population dynamics and greenhouse gas emissions, this groundbreaking research increases our understanding of how human behaviors, decisions and lifestyles will determine the path of future climate change," says Sarah Ruth, program director in NSF's Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, which funds NCAR.

Three Billion More Urban Dwellers by 2050?

By mid-century it is estimated that global population could rise by more than three billion people, with most of that increase occurring in urban areas.

The study showed that a slowing of that population growth could contribute to significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Slowing Population Growth

The researchers found that if population follows one of the slower growth paths foreseen as plausible by demographers at the United Nations, by 2050 it could account for 16 to 29 percent of the emission reductions thought necessary to keep global temperatures from causing serious impacts.

The effect of slower population growth on greenhouse gas emissions would be even larger by the end of the century.

"If global population growth slows down, it is not going to solve the climate problem, but it can make a contribution, especially in the long term," says the paper's lead author, Brian O'Neill, an NCAR scientist.

Where Population Grows is Significant

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O'Neill's co-author, IIASA scientist Shonali Pachauri, says that slower population growth will have different influences, depending on where it occurs.

"A slowing of population growth in developing countries today will have a large impact on future global population size. However, slower population growth in developed countries will matter to emissions, too, because of higher per capita energy use," says Pachauri.

Scientists have long known that changes in population will have some effect on greenhouse gas emissions, but there has been debate on how large that effect might be.

The researchers sought to quantify how demographic changes influence emissions over time, and in which regions of the world. They also went beyond changes in population size to examine the links between aging, urbanization, and emissions.

The Unique Impact of Urban Populations

The team found that growth in urban populations could lead to as much as a 25 percent rise in projected carbon dioxide emissions in some developing countries.

The increased economic growth associated with city-dwellers was directly correlated with increased emissions, largely due to the higher productivity and consumption preferences of an urban labor force.

The Unique Impact of Aging Populations

In contrast, aging can reduce emissions levels by up to 20 percent in some industrialized countries. Older populations are associated with lower labor force participation, and the resulting lower productivity leads to lower economic growth.

"Demography will matter to greenhouse gas emissions over the next 40 years," says O'Neill. "Urbanization will be particularly important in many developing countries, especially China and India, and aging will be important in industrialized countries."

The researchers worked with projections showing that population aging will occur in all regions of the world, a result of people living longer and declines in fertility.

Modeling the Impact of Demographic Change

The authors developed a set of economic growth, energy use, and emissions scenarios, using a new computer model (the Population- Environment-Technology model, or PET).

To capture the effects of future demographic change, they distinguished between household types, looking at age, size, and urban vs. rural location.

The Unique Impact of Household Types

In addition, they drew on data from national surveys covering 34 countries and representative of 61 percent of the global population to estimate key economic characteristics of household types over time, including labor supply and demand for consumer goods.

"Households can affect emissions either directly, through their consumption patterns, or indirectly, through their effects on economic growth," O'Neill explains.

The authors also suggest that developers of future emissions scenarios give greater consideration to the implications of urbanization and aging, particularly in the U.S., European Union, China and India.

The Range of Future Energy Demand

"Further analysis of these trends would improve our understanding of the potential range of future energy demand and emissions," says O'Neill.

The researchers caution that their findings do not imply that policies affecting aging or urbanization should be implemented as a response to climate change, but rather that better understanding of these trends would help anticipate future changes.

Earth quake close to home

Moderate quake rocks Oklahoma

Minor damage, few injuries reported following mid-Oklahoma earthquake

NORMAN, OK | October 13, 2010

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A moderate earthquake shook central Oklahoma Wednesday morning, seismologists and residents said, but no serious damage or casualties have been reported. It was the strongest quake to hit the state in more than 40 years.

The 4.3-magnitude earthquake at 9.06 a.m. CDT was centered approximately 6 miles east of Norman, a city in Cleveland County, or 23 miles southeast of Oklahoma City. It struck about 3.1 miles deep, making it a very shallow earthquake, according to seismologists. According to news reports, the quake was felt throughout the state and northern Texas.

According to Michelann Ooten of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM), minor damage has been reported including broken windows and items falling from shelves. At least two people were treated by emergency responders as a result of a fall.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimated the strength of the earthquake at 4.3 on the Richter scale, while the Oklahoma Geological Survey initially measured it as much stronger 5.1-magnitude earthquake.

The USGS estimated that approximately 99,000 people may have perceived moderate earthquake shaking, which could potentially result in light damage. Up to 2 million others may have felt weak to light shaking.

The Cleveland County sheriff's office reported some minor damage including cans rolling off shelves and a few broken window, but there were no immediate reports of serious damage or casualties. "There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage," the USGS said.

Nevertheless, Jim Bailey, the deputy fire chief in Norman, suggested residents check their homes and businesses for structural damage.

Wednesday's earthquake was unusually strong for the region, which is regularly rattled by minor earthquakes. According to the USGS, most of North America east of the Rocky Mountains has infrequent earthquakes from time to time.

Here and there earthquakes are more numerous, for example in the New Madrid seismic zone centered on southeastern Missouri, in the Charlevoix-Kamouraska seismic zone of eastern Quebec, in New England, in the New York - Philadelphia - Wilmington urban corridor, and elsewhere. However, most of the enormous region from the Rockies to the Atlantic can go years without an earthquake large enough to be felt, and several U.S. states have never reported a damaging earthquake. The earthquakes that do occur strike anywhere at irregular intervals.

Earthquakes east of the Rocky Mountains, an earthquake can be felt over an area as much as ten times larger than a similar magnitude earthquake on the west coast. A magnitude 4.0 eastern U.S. earthquake typically can be felt at many places as far as 60 miles from where it occurred, and it infrequently causes damage near its source. A magnitude 5.5 eastern U.S. earthquake usually can be felt as far as 300 miles from where it occurred, and sometimes causes damage as far away as 25 miles, the USGS said.

This year already marks as a very active year for earthquakes in Oklahoma. According to the Oklahoma Geological Survey, the agency has recorded more than 200 earthquakes in Oklahoma, including nearly 60 which have been felt.

On April 9, 1952, a moderate 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck near El Reno in Oklahoma and caused moderate damage in El Reno, Oklahoma City, and Ponca City. Damage included toppled chimneys and smokestacks, cracked and loosened bricks on buildings, and broken windows and dishes.

One crack in the State Capitol at Oklahoma City was 16 yards long while slight damage was reported from many other towns in Oklahoma and from some towns in Kansas and Texas. The earthquake was caused by slippage along the Nemaha fault and was the largest earthquake ever recorded in Oklahoma. It was felt over most of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Texas.

The Oklahoma quake wasn't the only one reported in the central U.S. today. A much smaller, 2.7 magnitude earthquake was recorded in Arkansas early Wednesday morning.

(BNO News contributed to this article.)

Mud Slides in India

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Flash Floods, Landslides Leave 26 Indonesians Dead

10/5/2010 2:50 AM ET

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(RTTNews) - Flash floods and landslides triggered by recent torrential rains left more than 26 persons dead in Indonesia's eastern West Papua province, local reports said Tuesday.

Officials said nature's fury struck West Papua's Teluk Wondama district early Monday, following heavy and continuous downpour from Sunday.
Rescue officials said six persons were still missing, adding that the flash floods and landslides injured 61 others and destroyed more than 30 houses.
The authorities have rushed hundreds of emergency workers to the affected region, but their efforts are being hampered by fallen trees and roads either blocked or washed away by landslides and floods.
Such floods and landslides are common in Indonesia during the country's wet season that generally extends from December to April annually. However, Indonesia is experiencing an extended rainy season this year.
by RTT Staff Writer

Trouble Still in Haiti

Intense storm blasts Haiti

Disaster responders assess damages following deadly wind and rain storm

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI | September 25, 2010

Months after a powerful earthquake devastated the Haitian capital, a sudden rainstorm on Friday killed at least 5 people and affected thousands of people more in the region.

The powerful storm brought strong winds to the capital and came as sudden as a powerful earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince in January. It left as many as 5,000 tents destroyed, according to the United Nations.

Authorities in the capital said five people were killed in the storm that only lasted several minutes. Hundreds more were said to be injured, although exact numbers were not immediately available.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was saddened by the loss of life and damage and extended his 'deepest condolences' to the families of the victims, said Martin Nesirky, Ban's spokesman.

"The United Nations is responding to the situation," Nesirky said. "More than 40 teams composed of staff of the United Nations, aid agencies and the Government of Haiti are currently assessing the damage, and an aerial assessment is being conducted with the Government."

Forces from the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti were deployed throughout the city in the aftermath of the storm and are helping people who have been trapped or are in need of medical assistance. "The aid community has adequate supplies in place to respond, including tarpaulins, hygiene hits, blankets and food," Nesirky added.

Nesirky said that Ban welcomes the generosity of donors who have responded to Haiti and other crises this year, including the devastating floods in Pakistan. "The Secretary-General stressed the importance of the need for continued support for Haiti where $450 million is still required to meet ongoing needs," he said.

The powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck close to Port-au-Prince on January 12 left some 230,000 people killed, and millions more affected. It was one of the deadliest disasters in modern history.

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