How much do you know about our nature?

There are several things that could empower your knowledge about the
nature and environment. You may find the trivial information given below helpful and it would answer several
questions regarding land and water of the earth.

Trivia about water

Earths surface is covered with 70.9% water, 29.1% land.

Only about 3% of total earth water is drinkable, the other 97% water is salt water
Water of the lakes, ponds, swamps, streams, rivers and all other surface water make only 0.3% of the
earths fresh water.
68.7 % of the earths fresh water is frozen in glaciers.
about 30% of earths fresh water is ground water
Frozen water makes 1.7% of total earths water
Water can dissolve many substances, more than any other liquids. Even sulfuric acid cannot dissolve as
many substances as water.
More than 25% of bottled water actually comes from municipal tap water.
A slight rise in sea level due to melting of ice caps can drown many countries around the world in the coaster
areas. A ten meter rise in sea level would flood 25% of the US population.

Our atmosphere contains more water as vapor than all the rivers in the world combined. If this vapor came
down as water it would be enough to cover the whole world with about an inch of water.
Pure water would evaporate in Loveland, Colorado quicker than it would in New York. Water boils at a lower
temperature with lower pressure at higher altitudes than in a lower altitude high pressure area, just like your
pressure cooker can bring water to a higher temperature before boiling.
The water consumption in the United States is about 400 billion gallons a day.
Thermo-electric power generators in the USA use about 50% of the water supply.
On average, the yearly consumption of water by the US residences is about 100,000 gallons.
750,000 gallons of water flows through the Niagara Falls every second.
On average, an American residence uses about 100 gallons of water per day.
Most of the water in households goes down the toilet.
Leaving the faucet open would make 2 gallons of water flow out every minute, so you could save four
gallons or more water while you brush your teeth in the morning if you do not leave the faucet running.
A dripping faucet could leak about 3,000 gallons of water each year at one drip per second rate.

Trivia about continents

Australia is the driest populated continent of the world. The average rainfall in Australia is about 469 mm
annually. The world average rainfall is 746 mm of rainfall.
Antarctica is drier, with less rainfall per year, but its not as populated as Australia.
The largest continent of the world is Asia, which covers one third of the earths surface. 60% of the worlds
population lives in Asia, and 30% of the land of the world is in Asia.
Africa was called the Dark Continent because for a long time much was unknown about Africa.
Antarctica is called the Frozen continent. it is also the driest, loneliest, emptiest and coldest continent of
the world, containing the geographic South Pole.
The name America comes from an Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci. North America contains United States
of America and Canada, which is the only continent that has every kind of climate and five time zones.
Lake Superior is the largest fresh water lake in the world located between Canada and the United States.

Hope you had a great time reading about these trivia. Most of these you may have already known, but it doesnt hurt
to brush up on your trivial knowledge. If you liked this post or any other post on our sites, please do not hesitate to put
in a few words of comments or feedback as that would really inspire us.

#DYK? Some interesting facts about

the environment
Here are some things that you may or may not have known about the
environment. ok, some of them are fun but some of them are scary. What did you
expect??
1. Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three
hours.
2. During the time it takes you to read this sentence, 50,000 12-ounce
aluminum cans are made.
3. An aluminum can may be recycled ad infinitum (forever!).
4. We consume over 80 trillion aluminum cans every year.
5. The world's tallest tree is a coast redwood in California, measuring more
than 360 feet or 110 meters.
6. The world's oldest trees are 4,600 year old Bristlecone pines in the USA.
7. Every day, American businesses generate enough paper to circle the earth 20
times!
8. Each year, Americans throw away 25 trillion Styrofoam cups.
9. Only 1% of the world's water supply is usable, 97% are the oceans and 2% is
frozen (for now).
10.Mel Blanc (voice of Bugs Bunny) was allergic to carrots (just checking that
you're still paying attention!).
11.Recycling a single run of the Sunday New York Times would save 75,000 trees
(about the same for more major papers' Sunday editions).
12.On average, ONE supermarket goes through 60,500,000 paper bags per year!
13.An automatic dishwasher uses less hot water than doing dishes by hand, an
average of six gallons less per cycle, or over 2,000 gallons per year.

14.The amount of wood and paper we throw away each year is enough to heat
50,000,000 homes for 20 years.
15.Every time you open the refrigerator door, up to 30 percent of the cold air
can escape.
16.Americans use 2,500,000 plastic bottles every hour, most of which are
thrown away!
17.Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as
1,000,000 sea creatures every year.
18.A modern glass bottle takes 4000 years or more to decompose.
19.About one-third of an average landfill is made up of packaging material.
20.The U.S. is the #1 trash-producing country in the world at 1,609 pounds per
person per year. This means that 5% of the world's people generate 40% of
the world's waste. We toss out two billion plastic razors, a million and a half
tons of paper towels, and 12 billion disposable diapers annually.
21.More than 20,000,000 Hershey's Kisses are wrapped each day, using 133
square miles of tinfoil. All that foil is recyclable!
22.Rainforests are being cut down at the rate of 100 acres per minute.
23.If you walk a mile along an average US highway, you will see, on average
about 1,457 pieces of litter (yuck!).
24.Consumer Reports tested disposable mops and found that they can cost
$115+ a year, compared with $50 for a traditional sponge mop with
replacement heads and cleanser (so get rid of that Swiffer!).
25.You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching TV (ok, now you can
go take a nap).
Want to reduce your impact? Or clean up a local beach or stream? Check out
our Clean Up Action Guide for tips on how to live a lower impact lifestyle.
Already going things to lessen your impact? Tell us about it!

These facts were taken from various sites, too numerous to list, but the figures kept
popping up pretty consistently.

Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

Location of Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in Philippines

Country

Philippines

Location

Morong, Bataan

Coordinates

143745N 1201849ECoordinates:

143745N 1201849E

Status

Completed, never launched

Construction began 1976

Construction cost

$US2.3 billion

Nuclear power station

Reactor type

PWR

Reactor supplier

Westinghouse Electric Company

Power generation

Units operational

Units under const.

Nameplate capacity 621 MW

Bataan Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power plant, completed but never fueled, on Bataan
Peninsula, 100 kilometres (62 mi) west of Manila in the Philippines. It is located on a 3.57 square
kilometre government reservation at Napot Point in Morong, Bataan. It was the Philippines' only
attempt at building a nuclear power plant.
Contents
[hide]

1Background

2Controversy

3Construction
o

3.1Opposition

3.22000s

4See also

5References

6External links

Background[edit]
The Philippine nuclear program started in 1958 with the creation of the Philippine Atomic Energy
Commission (PAEC) under Republic Act 2067.[1] Under a regime of martial law, Philippine
President Ferdinand Marcos in July 1973 announced the decision to build a nuclear power plant. [1] A
presidential committee was set up to secure funding for two 600 megawatt nuclear reactors for the

energy needs of Luzon.[2] This was in response to the 1973 oil crisis, as the Middle East oil embargo
had put a heavy strain on the Philippine economy, and Marcos believed nuclear power to be the
solution to meeting the country's energy demands and decreasing dependence on imported oil. [3]

Controversy[edit]
Two proposals were submitted by reputable energy companies General
Electric and Westinghouse Electric. General Electric submitted a proposal containing detailed
specifications of the nuclear plant and estimated it to cost US$700 million. On the other hand,
Westinghouse submitted a lower cost estimate of US$500 million, but the proposal did not contain
any detail or specification.[2]
The presidential committee tasked to oversee the project preferred General Electric's proposal, but
this was overruled by Marcos in June 1974 who signed a letter of intent awarding the project to
Westinghouse, despite the absence of any specifications on their proposal. [2] By March 1975,
Westinghouse's cost estimate ballooned to US$.5billion without much explanation. The National
Power Corporation would later construct only one nuclear reactor plant for US$1.1 billion. [2]
It would soon be discovered that Westinghouse sold the similar technology to other countries for
only a fraction of the project cost it billed the Philippines.[2]

Construction[edit]
Construction on the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant began in 1976. Following the 1979 Three Mile
Island accident in the United States, construction on the BNPP was stopped, and a subsequent
safety inquiry into the plant revealed over 4,000 defects.[1] Among the issues raised was that it was
built near a major geological fault line and close to the then dormant Mount Pinatubo.[2][3]
By 1984, when the BNPP was nearly complete, its cost had reached $US2.3 billion. [3] Equipped with
a Westinghouse light water reactor, it was designed to produce 621 megawatts of electricity.[3]
Marcos was overthrown by the People Power Revolution in 1986. Days after the April
1986 Chernobyl disaster, the succeeding administration of President Corazon Aquinodecided not to
operate the plant.[1][4] Among other considerations taken were the strong position from Bataan
residents and Philippine citizens as well as concern over the integrity of the construction. [1][4][5]
The government sued Westinghouse for alleged overpricing and bribery but was ultimately rejected
by a United States court.[6] Debt repayment on the plant became the country's biggest single
obligation. While successive governments have looked at several proposals to convert the plant into
an oil, coal, or gas-fired power station, these options have all been deemed less economically
attractive in the long term than simply constructing new power stations. [3]

Opposition[edit]
See also: Anti-nuclear movement in the Philippines

The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant was a focal point for anti-nuclear protests in the late 1970s and
1980s. The project was criticised for being a potential threat to public health, especially since the
plant was located in an earthquake zone,[7] and because a volcano formation was found near the
location of the plant.[citation needed]

2000s[edit]
Despite never having been commissioned, the plant has remained intact, including the nuclear
reactor, and has continued to be maintained.[3] The Philippine government completed paying off its
obligations on the plant in April 2007, more than 30 years after construction began. [3]
On January 29, 2008, Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes announced that an International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) eight-man team led by Akira Omoto inspected the Bataan Nuclear power
station on rehabilitation prospects. In preparing their report, the IAEA made two primary
recommendations. First, the power plant's status must be thoroughly evaluated by technical
inspections and economic evaluations conducted by a committed group of nuclear power experts
with experience in preservation management. Second, the IAEA mission advised the Philippines
government on the general requirements for starting its nuclear power program, stressing that the
proper infrastructure, safety standards, and knowledge be implemented. [8] The IAEA's role did not
extend to assessing whether the power plant is usable or how much the plant may cost to
rehabilitate.[8] On February 1, 2010, NAPOCOR started evaluating the financial plan of Korea Electric
Power Corporation (KEPCO), assessing that it may cost US$1 billion to rehabilitate the nuclear
plant.[9]
This section needs to be updated. Please update this article to reflect recent events or
newly available information. (May 2016)

On February 22, 2011, the Philippine government will reimburse the National Power
Corporation (NAPOCOR) 4.2 billion (US$96 million) it spent for maintaining the Bataan Nuclear
Power Plant.[10] It requires an average of 40 million a year just to maintain it.[11] In May 2011, it was
announced that the plant would be turned into a tourist attraction. [12]
In 2016, various senators along with a few media personnel inspected the Bataan Nuclear Power
Plant for a possible bid to open it to for public use. Inspecting senators told media that the power
plant was still in good condition. It was later found that more than 2,000 defects were confirmed,
while areas that were in 'good condition' were last inspected by nuclear and infrasture experts last
2007. It was also found that solar and wind power was way cheaper than operating the nuclear
power plant. Wave energy was also suggested, instead of operating the nuclear power plant. Also, it
was noted that the plant's energy contribution will be minimal compared to renewable energy plants
if the nuclear plant will be operated. Due to this, members of the Philippine Senate released
statements that ultimately divided the senate position on whether the nuclear plant will be operated
in the future or not.

See also[edit]

#DYK? Some interesting facts about

the environment
Here are some things that you may or may not have known about the
environment. ok, some of them are fun but some of them are scary. What did you
expect??
1. Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three
hours.
2. During the time it takes you to read this sentence, 50,000 12-ounce
aluminum cans are made.
3. An aluminum can may be recycled ad infinitum (forever!).
4. We consume over 80 trillion aluminum cans every year.
5. The world's tallest tree is a coast redwood in California, measuring more
than 360 feet or 110 meters.
6. The world's oldest trees are 4,600 year old Bristlecone pines in the USA.
7. Every day, American businesses generate enough paper to circle the earth 20
times!

8. Each year, Americans throw away 25 trillion Styrofoam cups.

9. Only 1% of the world's water supply is usable, 97% are the oceans and 2% is
frozen (for now).
10.Mel Blanc (voice of Bugs Bunny) was allergic to carrots (just checking that
you're still paying attention!).
11.Recycling a single run of the Sunday New York Times would save 75,000 trees
(about the same for more major papers' Sunday editions).
12.On average, ONE supermarket goes through 60,500,000 paper bags per year!
13.An automatic dishwasher uses less hot water than doing dishes by hand, an
average of six gallons less per cycle, or over 2,000 gallons per year.
14.The amount of wood and paper we throw away each year is enough to heat
50,000,000 homes for 20 years.
15.Every time you open the refrigerator door, up to 30 percent of the cold air
can escape.
16.Americans use 2,500,000 plastic bottles every hour, most of which are
thrown away!
17.Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as
1,000,000 sea creatures every year.
18.A modern glass bottle takes 4000 years or more to decompose.
19.About one-third of an average landfill is made up of packaging material.
20.The U.S. is the #1 trash-producing country in the world at 1,609 pounds per
person per year. This means that 5% of the world's people generate 40% of
the world's waste. We toss out two billion plastic razors, a million and a half
tons of paper towels, and 12 billion disposable diapers annually.
21.More than 20,000,000 Hershey's Kisses are wrapped each day, using 133
square miles of tinfoil. All that foil is recyclable!
22.Rainforests are being cut down at the rate of 100 acres per minute.

23.If you walk a mile along an average US highway, you will see, on average
about 1,457 pieces of litter (yuck!).
24.Consumer Reports tested disposable mops and found that they can cost
$115+ a year, compared with $50 for a traditional sponge mop with
replacement heads and cleanser (so get rid of that Swiffer!).
25.You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching TV (ok, now you can
go take a nap).
Want to reduce your impact? Or clean up a local beach or stream? Check out
our Clean Up Action Guide for tips on how to live a lower impact lifestyle.
Already going things to lessen your impact? Tell us about it!
These facts were taken from various sites, too numerous to list, but the figures kept
popping up pretty consistently.

El Nio and La Nia are opposite phases of what is known as the El Nio-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
cycle. The ENSO cycle is a scientific term that describes the fluctuations in temperature between the
ocean and atmosphere in the east-central Equatorial Pacific (approximately between the International
Date Line and 120 degrees West).
La Nia is sometimes referred to as the cold phase of ENSO and El Nio as the warm phase of ENSO.
These deviations from normal surface temperatures can have large-scale impacts not only on ocean
processes, but also on global weather and climate.
El Nio and La Nia episodes typically last nine to 12 months, but some prolonged events may last for
years. While their frequency can be quite irregular, El Nio and La Nia events occur on average every
two to seven years. Typically, El Nio occurs more frequently than La Nia.

El Nio
El Nio means The Little Boy, or Christ Child in Spanish. El Nio was originally recognized by fishermen
off the coast of South America in the 1600s, with the appearance of unusually warm water in the Pacific
Ocean. The name was chosen based on the time of year (around December) during which these warm
waters events tended to occur.
The term El Nio refers to the large-scale ocean-atmosphere climate interaction linked to a periodic
warming in sea surface temperatures across the central and east-central Equatorial Pacific.
Typical El Nio effects are likely to develop over North America during the upcoming winter season.
Those include warmer-than-average temperatures over western and central Canada, and over the
western and northern United States. Wetter-than-average conditions are likely over portions of the U.S.
Gulf Coast and Florida, while drier-than-average conditions can be expected in the Ohio Valley and the
Pacific Northwest. The presence of El Nio can significantly influence weather patterns, ocean conditions,
and marine fisheries across large portions of the globe for an extended period of time.

La Nia
La Nia means The Little Girl in Spanish. La Nia is also sometimes called El Viejo, anti-El Nio, or
simply "a cold event."
La Nia episodes represent periods of below-average sea surface temperatures across the east-central
Equatorial Pacific. Global climate La Nia impacts tend to be opposite those of El Nio impacts. In the
tropics, ocean temperature variations in La Nia also tend to be opposite those of El Nio.

During a La Nia year, winter temperatures are warmer than normal in the Southeast and cooler than
normal in the Northwest.

El Nio in East Africa

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In the Horn of Africa region, a drought exacerbated by El Nio has directly affected the region, leading
to an increase in food insecurity and malnutrition. As of August 2016, close to 24 million people in the
region are facing critical and emergency food insecurity levels, a doubling of numbers compared to
August 2015. In Ethiopia alone, 9.7 million people require emergency food assistance to meet their
basic food needs, and some 420,000 children suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and 2.36
million children from moderate acute malnutrition (MAM).
Enhanced rainfall due to El Nio was favourable to most of Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and
Tanzania; leading to good pasture, crop development and replenishment of water sources and an
overall improvement in the food and nutrition security for the last season (Oct-Dec 2015). Excessive
rains in late 2015 and in the March to May rainy season of 2016 however led to flooding in parts of
Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. Heavy rains intensified in late April, affecting nearly 410,000
people, displacing 231,916 people and killing 271 people in the region. We also saw a rise in the
spread of water/vector borne diseases in the region. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported
cholera and Acute Watery Diarrhoea outbreaks in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Sudan and
DRC.

While the El Nio weather event can now be considered over, IGAD-ICPAC and global climate partners
predict that the impact is likely to be felt through 2016 and into 2017.

Historic El Nio impact in the region

Historically El Nio had a variable impact on the region, ranging from floods affecting more than 3.4
million people in 2006/2007 to drought affecting more than 14 million people in 2009/2010 (source:
EMDAT). While there are sub-regional differences, historical comparisons show that overall
humanitarian needs in the region are higher in El Nio years than non-El Nio years.

El Nio response in the region

Ethiopia Drought Response Situation as of 31 Aug 2016

Ethiopia
Following a mid-year review in August 2016, the Government and humanitarian partners revised their
Humanitarian Requirements Document. The updated HRD requires a total of $1.6 billion (63 per cent
funded as of September) with additional requirements for nutrition, health, WASH, education,
protection, logistics and emergency shelter /non-food items until December 2016. Despite recent
improvements due to an average to above average Belg harvest, 9.7 million people remain food
insecure in Ethiopia. With the June to September rains ongoing a further decline in food insecurity is
expected after the Meher harvest in October / November 2016. However, many of the areas worstaffected by the 2015 El Nino induced drought will continue to experience Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and
Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes, at least through September 2016, as households continue to face
significant difficulty in meeting their basic food needs. Furthermore, southern pastoral and agropastoral areas of Ethiopia are at risk of experiencing below-average rainfall in the last quarter of 2016.
This may lead to an earlier and worse than normal deterioration of livestock body conditions and
livestock productivity. According to UNICEF, the number of Priority 1 malnutrition hotspots have
reduced to 206 (from 219 in March 2016). However, high admissions for acute malnutrition continue,
with some 420,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and 2.36 million children
from moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). In addition, an estimated 4 million children (an increase
from 1.3 million in January 2016) will require school feeding for the new academic year starting in
September 2016.
By June 2016, five rounds of food assistance had reached the targeted 10.2 million drought-affected
people in six regions, with more than 200,000 people receiving cash assistance. Seeds were
distributed to 1.5 million people, more than 83,000 livestock were treated for diseases, and 15,100
households in the Somali region received vouchers for animal health services. Water trucking provided
at least 1.3 million people access to safe drinking water prior to the Belg rainy season. Water support
also reached more than 219,000 children in 60 schools while more than 88,000 school children
benefited from the school feeding programme. More than 80,000 people affected by flood, drought
and conflict received emergency shelter support, and more than 197,000 people received medical
services. Some 700,000 children received measles vaccinations while more than 490,000 Moderate

Acute Malnutrition (MAM) and more than 170,000 Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) cases affecting
children under five and pregnant women were treated. As a result, the estimated number of children
that require SAM treatment decreased from 458,000 to 420,000.

Somalia: Humanitarian Snapshot (as of 9 Sept 2016)

Somalia
Some 5 million people, or 40 per cent of the population, are in need of food and livelihoods assistance
in Somalia. Of these people, 1.1 million are facing Crisis (IPC 3 Phase) and Emergency (IPC 4 Phase)
food insecurity levels, especially from among the protracted IDP caseload with severely constrained
food security and income opportunities.
A significantly below-average 2016 Gu harvest (which accounts for 75 per cent of total annual
production), due to erratic and below-average April-June rains, affected food availability and translated
into food price increases, including in Hiraan where floods destroyed more than 80 per cent of crops.
Additionally, the upcoming Deyr rains (which feed the Deyr harvest that accounts for 25 per cent of
total annual production) are likely to be below-average too. It is alarming that agro-pastoral areas
(north-west, south and central regions) have faced two or more consecutive failed seasons since 2015
with a corresponding negative impact on food security conditions. FEWSNET expects food insecurity to
deteroriate further throughout Somalia from October 2016 to January 2017.
At the same time, the erratic rains also brought flooding and diseases to southern and central
Somalia. As of June 2016, some 70,000 people were temporarily displaced by flooding along the
Shabelle River in Belet Weyne, Hiraan region. An AWD/Cholera outbreak was reported in southern and
central Somalia. Between January and July 2016, 13,353 AWD/cholera cases, including 496 deaths
were reported in 25 districts in southern and central Somalia. Of these, 58 per cent were children
under age 5. Although the outbreak is ongoing, the number of cases are in decline.
Since October 2015, humanitarian partners have scaled up critical life-saving and life-sustaining
assistance in parts of Puntland and Somaliland. Clusters are prioritizing an integrated approach.
Thanks to reprogramming of existing resources and additional funding received in late 2015 and early
2016, hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable people have already been assisted. In
September, humanitarian partners published an updated Call for Aid that highlights a $61 million
funding gap to reach 1.7 million people in Puntland and Somaliland with assistance.
Between January and May 2016, health partners delivered health care services to more than 174,000
people in Puntland and Somaliland. In the same period, the Food security cluster reached nearly
300,000 people with food and safety net-related interventions. Approximately 93,000 people benefited

from activities aimed at building livelihoods. Another 177,000 people received livelihood seasonal
inputs including seeds, farming tools, fishing equipment, irrigation vouchers and livestock treatment
and distribution. The Education cluster reached over 26,000 learners while about 43,000 people
benefited from protection activities. The Nutrition cluster admitted more than 34,600 acutely
malnourished children into outpatient therapeutic and targeted supplementary feeding programmes.
The WASH cluster reached nearly 242,000 people with temporary and sustainable access to safe
water. Mobile health clinics and hygiene promotion activities are ongoing in the affected areas. More
than 12,400 children received emergency immunization.
Sudan
The Sudan El Nino Mitigation and Preparedness Plan was issued in February 2016, complementing the
2016 Humanitarian Response Plan. The joint appeal by the Government of Sudan and humanitarian
partners sought $82 million for three months to support 3.5 million people in 82 localities across Abyei
PCA, Al Gezira, Blue Nile, all Darfur states, Gedaref, Kassala, all Kordofan states, Red Sea, Sennar and
White Nile states. As of 31 August, the funding gap for the El Nino response was $59 million.
UNICEF reported a higher peak in severe acute malnutrition (SAM) admissions between January and
June 2016 compared to the same period in 2015, and the Ministry of Health recorded the highest SAM
rates (7 per cent) in East Darfur State as of July 2016 (This includes South Sudanese refugee
children). North Darfur, North Kordofan and Kassala, which were most affected by El Nino, were also
hit by flooding as a result of above average rainfall since June. By the end of August, according to
Sudans Humanitarian Aid Commission, the seasonal flooding had affected an estimated 204,000
people, destroyed more than 22,000 houses and resulted in at least 98 deaths.
To date, food security and livelihoods (FSL) interventions have reached 750,000 affected people in all
Darfur states, North and West Kordofan, Kassala, Red Sea and Gedaref. This includes some 205,000
people reached with livestock and agricultural assistance, and about 577,000 people reached with food
assistance. FEWSNETprojects that food security in North Darfur, North Kordofan and Kassala is likely
to improve from October 2016 to January 2017 due to better availability of agricultural labour
opportunities and improved availability and prices of cereals with the beginning of the next harvest.
Djibouti
Since November 2015, some 7,500 people (1,500 families) have arrived from Ethiopia and settled in
Ali Sabieh (3,500), Dikhil (1,500) and Djibouti city (2,500). On average, they had 3 heads of livestock
per family, which is far below average and under the minimum number to continue pastoral activities.
The number of people displaced by drought is expected to increase over the coming months, up to
12,000 by the end of May. Humanitarian partners in Djibouti are seeking urgent funding to address
the
needs
of
these
new
arrivals.

Regional funding update

Ethiopia humanitarian funding update (as of 13 July 2016)

The El Nio impact has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation in a region
where humanitarian requirements are high. As of early July 2016, $5.8 billion is required to
address humanitarian needs in the region. Only 39 per cent has been funded to date. Of
this, Ethiopia has the highest El Nio related requirements, totalling $1.52 billion of which
$545 million is outstanding. The Sudan El Nio Mitigation and Preparedness Plan called for
$82 million to assist 3.5 million people. In Somalia, a drought Call for Aid was issued in
March 2016, requiring $105 million to support over one million people.

Indias Monsoon Seen Strongest in 22 Years as La Nina Looms

Pratik Parija

May 24, 2016 4:45 AM PDTUpdated on May 24, 2016 7:19 AM PDT
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As El Nio Exits, La Nia Promises Mayhem Worldwide

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Showers in June-September season seen 109% of 50-year average

Monsoon-sown food grain production seen rising on good rain

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India is set for the highest monsoon rainfall since 1994 as the odds of a La
Nina increase, boosting planting of rice, corn and oilseed crops.
The precipitation during the four-month rainy season starting in June is seen
at 109 percent of the average of about 89 centimeters (35 inches), more than
the 105 percent predicted in April, Skymet Weather Services Pvt., a New
Delhi-based private forecaster, said on its website on Tuesday. The forecast
has a margin of error of 4 percent. Thats more than the 106 percent estimated
by the state-run India Meteorological Department.
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The prediction for above normal downpour for the first time since 2013 is seen
boosting prospects of agricultural production and ease an acute drinking
water shortage caused by back-to-back droughts. Prime Minister Narendra
Modis government is counting on a normal monsoon to sustain economic
growth and contain food costs after the lowest rainfall since 2009 hurt rice,
corn, sugar-cane and oilseed crops last year.

The El Nino is tapering off and it will collapse after the onset of monsoon,
Jatin Singh, Skymets chief executive said in the statement. There are more
chances of getting into La Nina in the later part of this year.
La Nina

The tropical Pacific Ocean is in a neutral state and outlooks suggest little
chance of indicators returning to El Nino levels, Australias Bureau of
Meteorology said Tuesday. That means mid-May marks the end of the event
that reduced Indian rainfall, parched farmland in Asia and curbed cocoa
production in parts of Africa.
Weather watchers are now waiting for La Nina, a cooling of the tropical Pacific
sometimes thought of as El Ninos opposite. La Nina typically brings more
rain to parts of Asia, including India. Based on the 26 El Nino events since

1900, about 50 percent have been followed by a neutral year with 40 percent
by La Nina, according to the Australian bureau.
QUICKTAKEIndia's Monsoon
The monsoon affects both summer and winter crop sowing in India, and
waters more than half of all farmland. Rainfall was 14 percent below a 50-year
average in 2015, following a 12 percent shortfall in 2014, data from the
meteorological department show. Rains will arrive in Kerala on June 7
compared with the normal onset date of June 1, according to the weather
office.
The area under various monsoon-sown grain crops is set to increase by as
much as 20 percent, boosting production to around 129 million tons to 130
million tons, Skymet said. The country produced 124 million tons of food grain
during the rainy season in 2015, according to farm ministry data. Planting of
soybeans, peanuts, pulses may climb while the area under cotton will probably
reduce marginally, and the area under sugar cane may remain the same as
previous year, Skymet said.
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