Global Warming Creating 2010 Weather Catastrophes

Officials with the World Meteorological Organization say that this year's weather catastrophes that have killed thousands already have been caused by the rapidly increasing effects of global warming. Worse yet, they say that millions more could be killed by disease.

In a statement issued Aug. 11, the WMO said the weather extremes that have affected people at all corners of the world are typical of what scientists predicted as the effects of Global Warming began to increase at an alarming rate. The WMO coordinates the global collection of climate data for long-term scientific research.

There have been 100 degree days reported for the first time in Moscow, record rain and flooding in Pakistan and China, record warmth across the northern region of Canada. The United States hasn't been immune also. Many portions of the United States East Coast received record rainfall and snowfall in 2009-10. Those same areas are now suffering from below normal rainfall and above-normal temperatures this year. Philadelphia, for example, has experienced several all-time record monthly average high temperatures since March.

WMO organization officials say global warming causes increased extremes. Record high temperatures are higher, for example. Flooding becomes much worse.

Pakistan Flood Toll Rising

The English News Channel reported Monday, Aug. 16 that officials fear that 3.5 million children will be at risk of getting infectious diseases, such as cholera, because of unsanitary conditions now found in flood ravaged Pakistan. Government officials say that flooding has killed nearly 1,400 people, destroyed 720,000 homes and left millions homeless.

Russian Heat Wave Kills Thousands

More 600 fires covering more than 350 square miles were still blazing on Aug. 11 in an area near where the Chernobyl disaster occurred. The smoke and fog combined with temperatures in the upper 90s to create a choking smog that killed 700 Moscow residents within a 24-hour period. Moscow reached 100 degrees for the first time ever this year. Daily high temperatures have remained in the upper 90s for region most down for its frigid winter weather.

Thousands Die in China

The WMO said almost 1,200 people were killed, and 600 were missing in some of the worst flooding the country has seen in decades. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, rainfall has increased 700 percent in portions of China since the 1950s.

Huge Glacier Breaks Off in Greenland

The Daily Mail reported that at ice island four times as large as Manhattan broke off from one of Greeland's two main glaciers. The ice island is floating between Greenland and Canada and has an area of 100 square miles and is hundreds of feet thick. Scientists said the knew that warmer sea temperatures were going to cause part of the glacier to break off. They just had no idea it would be such a large portion.

Sources: The English News Channel, APF news, USA Today, Daily Mail