High-impact of weather and climate events in April 2006

The information summarized has been culled from international press reports and is indicative only. For official information, including final statistics, readers are advised to contact the National Meteorological Service of the country in question.

Heavy rains, floods, flash floods, mudslides/landslides - Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Colombia, Czech Republic, Georgia Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Nigeria, Romania, Serbia, USA, Yemen 

Australia
Hundreds of residents fled the town of Katherine after days of heavy rain flooded their homes. 

Austria
Floodwaters from heavy rain and melting snow broke through three flood control dams in southern Austria, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of residents and rendering hundreds of others homeless. 

Bulgaria
A state of emergency was declared in all towns along the river Danube after its waters rose to 928 cm in Vidin, just two centimetres below the critical overflow level. 

Colombia
Over 70 people were buried in a mudslide that swept over Bendiciones, a small town in the south of the country.

Czech Republic
Rivers swollen by rain and melting ice forced the evacuation of several towns some 240 km south-east of Prague. 

Georgia
Some  400 000 homes and families in 3 000 settlements at risk from catastrophic flooding, landslides and mudflows were evacuated.

Germany
The Elbe River rose to a record level in parts of northern Germany with the threat of floods in Lauenburg, Schleswig-Holstein.

Hungary
Roads and tramlines in Budapest were flooded as the River Danube rose to a record level of 8.58 m.

Indonesia
Flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rain killed at least 23 people on the main island of Java.

Italy
At least three people were killed when a landslide on the island of Ischia in southern Italy destroyed their hillside home.

Kenya
One person died and thousands of refugees rendered homeless in north-western Kenya after massive floods caused by heavy rains destroyed their shelters.

Nigeria
About 1 000 people in Lampese, Edo State, were rendered homeless following a heavy rainstorm that destroyed houses, schools and churches.

Romania
More than 3 200 people and more than 6 000 animals in the village of Rast, southern Romania, were evacuated as the River Danube rose.

Serbia and Montenegro
The levels of the Rivers Danube and Sava in Belgrade, rose 20 cm above normal. Sandbags and earth barriers were sest up to prevent flooding.

USA
Heavy rain triggered mudslides across northern California killing one person and forcing the evacuation of several people.  Over 40 days of downpour wrought havoc across Hawaii.

Yemen
Floods caused by torrential rains killed at least 14 people and injured more than 20 others.  

Heavy snow, severe cold - Australia, USA 

Australia
Most parts of Victoria recorded below average maximum temperatures, especially in the far west and north-east of the state and  the East Gippsland coast.

USA
A powerful spring storm swept through the north-western Plains killing at least four people and causing power outage to hundreds of people in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Severe storms - Australia, Bangladesh, India, Malaysia

Australia
Tropical cyclone Monica
Tropical cyclone Monica lashed the sparsely populated islands off northern Australia and in Arnhem.

Bangladesh
Tropical Cyclone Mala
Cyclone Mala killed at least two people, injured 500 and damaged more than 500 houses.

India
At least nine people were killed and scores injured in a tropical storm that hit the eastern city of Kolkata and surrounding area.

Malaysia
The country experienced almost daily thunderstorms and lightning strikes that set buildings ablaze, killing several people.

USA
Tornadoes
A powerful storm spawned at least two tornadoes and several severe thunderstorms across eight states in the Mid-west killing at least 27 people and causing severe damage in the central and north-eastern areas of the state of Oklahoma.

Sandstorms - China, Republic of Korea 

China
A sandstorm struck Beijing, covering homes, streets and cars and leaving the skies a murky yellow with the city’s worst pollution in years.

Republic of Korea
A duststorm wrecked central and northern parts of the country, including the capital, Seoul.

Drought, water scarcity - Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, United Republic of Tanzania

Australia
About 46 per cent of farmers in New South Wales were devastated by severe drought.

Bangladesh
Severe drought wrecked crops in the northern region of the country.  

Canada
The Province of Alberta was hit by acute water shortage.

United Republic of Tanzania
The worst drought in years led to food shortages, and power cuts, as a result of the drop in hydro-electric power.