El Niño and the Global Climate


The meteorological phenomenon "El Niño", that has already
caused severe damage in Asia and South America during the
past years, is now going to pose a threat to the heart of
Europe. While China's flood disaster in 1998 left more than
4.000 dead in the Yangtse area, a drought in Southern China
reduced the harvest to 25% of its average value. A similar
disaster emerged in parts of Corea at the same time. This
year, however, only slightly more than 100 people perished
in the southern part of China, while 700 people died in
India and Bangladesh. German and other European citizens,
who drowned in the floods of river Elbe, contributed about
70 victims to the global death rate. And there seems to be
no end in a development that has always been related to an
overheating of the atmosphere, caused by a steadily increas-
ing emission of carbon dioxide as a result of combustion.

        Global warming simulation as a function
        of increased emission of carbon dioxide
        [Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory -
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin.,
        Princeton, NJ, U.S.A.]. 1 °F = 0,56 °C



Important Links:

                Germany - situation in Saxony:
                emergency website of Dresden

                the flood in Saxony (by FAZ)


                Germany - general situation:
                comment by FAZ / Frankfurt


                For German citizens abroad:
                list of German missions (Auswaertiges Amt)

                site maintained by German embassy in London


                The flood in China and Germany:
                site maintained by Deutsche Welle


                The flood in China:
                site maintained by BBC London