Typhoon Nesat Hits Philippines

A powerful Typhoon has hit the Philippines, causing flooding, power loss, and halting work in many cities.  The storm registered winds up to 105 mph, and is now heading across the country.  Projections show the storm leaving the country and heading towards China by Thursday.  The storm caused over a 100,000 people to evacuate their homes, one death, and four others reported missing.  Due to warning systems, people were able to evacuate before the storm struck, greatly decreasing the chance for injuries or loss of life.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15070550

Himalayan Earthquake

A 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the Himalaya Mountains, affecting India, Nepal, and Tibet.  Thousands of people were left homeless after an estimated 100,000 homes were destroyed during the earthquake.  To make matters worse, heavy rains led to mudslides in the mountainous region and made circumstances much harder for rescue workers.  Many of these villages were cut off because of the earthquake and mudslides so helicopters were used to airlift supplies to the villages and provide medical care.  Over 6,000 troops were called in to clear roadways and provide assistance.  A day after the disaster, the death toll has risen to 81 people.  I would classify this as a disaster due to the number of people dying as well as the very high number of homes destroyed.  Most small villages located high up in the mountains probably do not have very much money or houses that are built to withstand an earthquake.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iX2jeXsAw-L5eNjWO_uWTss_glhA?docId=1fbea8b8514845efb5e0372d048c4412

Wildfires in Texas

Wildfires have been burning in central and eastern parts of Texas since Labor Day and have created an estimated $250 million in damage.  In Bastrop Country alone, 1,550 homes have been burned to the ground over an area of about 45 square miles.  The blaze has been labeled as one of the most destructive wildfires in the history of the country.  The fires were largely due to the fact that Texas has had the driest ten months in its history since 1895.  Unfortunately for them, the next three month forecast for Texas and its surrounding countries continues to be warm and dry.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/tx-fires-latest_2011-09-12

http://old.news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110915/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_weather_outlook