Nine of Colombia’s 32 provinces in state of emergency due to El Niño

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By Claire Dennis
Colombia Reports

 

Nine of Colombia’s 32 provinces are in a state of emergency due to extreme drought, high temperatures and forest fires caused by El Niño that threatens to continue disrupting weather until March.

The last three months of the year historically bring the highest amount and frequency of rainfall in the country that commonly has two rainy seasons and two dry seasons.

This year, however, instead of heavy storms and overflowing rivers, Colombia will largely look up to empty skies.

According to the national meteorological institute IDEAM, water deficits can exceed 60% in the coming months.

The little and sporadic rain that does fall must be collected and properly managed, especially in areas of wetlands in watersheds, in preparation for the worsening conditions, which are expected to become dire in January when the dry season begins.

El Niño has already reached the category of “strong phenomenon” in Colombia, the most threatening level on IDEAM’s scale. When the dry months of January and February come and the few scattered showers cease, the current conditions of water scarcity will become amplified even further.

According to the US International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), which has been working with IDEAM in Colombia, experts are monitoring the development of one of the largest El Niño events of the last 50 years across the globe.

IDEAM data shows that the last time Colombia reached the “strong phenomenon” category was 1998. Consequentially, the IRI states in its report that “notably, [this is] the largest [El Niño] since the 1997-98 event that shocked global food, water, health, energy and disaster-response systems.”

If that is any signal, chaos, death and poverty are bound to be seen in coming months as conditions continue to worsen.

Current conditions in Colombia

Huila, a department in west-central Colombia, is now experiencing extreme effects of the drought. The north of Huila is essentially without water.

According to a press release from Huila, measures have been implemented regarding the restriction and limitation of the use of water concessions, “to give priority to human consumption.”

Unfortunately this means a devastating interruption of agricultural production.

The most affected municipalities are Aipe, Villavieja and Baraya, where there is no water to feed the animals and irrigate crops. The community is digging holes in search of liquid.

Local authorities are instructing farmers not to grow certain crops to preserve water as the streams and rivers are at critical lows.

15,103 hectares have been affected by fires in Huila, causing losses in excess of 94 billion pesos for the agricultural sector.

According to the Secretary of Agriculture of Huila, Camilo Ospina Martinez, livestock, coffee, corn and rice, have been the sectors most affected by the drought.

Huge economic losses have been and will continue to be incurred by families in these areas.

In Tolima, at least 150 billion pesos are needed to support those affected by El Niño. 25,000 families have been affected in the region so far, according to the secretary of Agricultural Development of the department, Elkin Oliveros.

The agricultural producers in the region of Risaralda face threats to their livelihood as one of their most important crops, flowers, falls fatal to extreme conditions, with production already reduced by 60%. High temperatures that have been generated on behalf of El Niño and falling ash from the volcano Nevado del Ruiz are notoriously affecting flower farms in this part of the country.

Meanwhile, in Caldas and other areas in the coffee industry, El Niño has greatly affected coffee crops.

Colombia’s coffee is both world-renowned and an integral part of the national economy. The manager of the National Coffee Growers Federation, Roberto Velez Vallejo, said that next week the effects on coffee growing will be discussed with the national government in order to seek support for this sector.

Global scale

The effects of El Niño represent a part of the larger issue of climate change that many scientists believe will lead to heightened future natural disasters.

One example of the greater trend is the high probability of melting glaciers in Colombia. The Office of Risk Management indicated that increases in temperature over the next 25 years show a high probability of melting glaciers. Effects are already seen through the accelerated melting in Nevado del Cocuy, a national park.

This year, Colombia is but one of many countries facing extreme conditions from the 2015 El Niño.

On the global scale, the IRI and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) will convene the El Niño 2015 Summit from November 17-18 in New York to advance international research and agendas in the face of the current natural disaster. The summit will bring together governments, scientists, economists, humanitarian agencies, development professionals and the media to enhance climate resilience.

 

Bystander Who Fired at a Fleeing Shoplifter’s Vehicle Is Charged in Michigan – The New York Times

In each case, the person with the gun was a customer who was licensed to carry a concealed weapon, saw store employees chasing shoplifters and fired as they drove off. In the Michigan case, the Oakland County prosecutor, Jessica R. Cooper, charged Tatiana Duva-Rodriguez with one count of reckless use, handling or discharge of a firearm.“If this is proven, I find it very disturbing that someone would take out their gun in a busy parking lot and shoot at the tires of a passing car,” Ms. Cooper said. “Once fired, the bullet could have easily ricocheted or fragmented and injured or killed someone else.”

Source: Bystander Who Fired at a Fleeing Shoplifter’s Vehicle Is Charged in Michigan – The New York Times

Dengue case figures increase dramatically in the Philippines

The Department of Health (DOH) recently announced that the prevalence of dengue fever cases within Region 2 of the Philippines has increased by four times this year compared to 2014.

Between Jan. 2015 and Oct. 3, 2015, Region 2 has confirmed 8,084 dengue fever cases. During the same time period in 2014, there were 2,391 dengue fever cases.

Isabela had the highest quantity of cases at 3,650. Cagayan had the second highest with 2,087. Nueva Vizcaya had 1,382, Quirino had 753, and Batanes reported 212 dengue cases. Out of all of these cases, 15 people died from the illness. Most of these deaths were children.

“One of the most important reasons for the tremendous increase in dengue cases was due to the presence of the four strains of dengue virus circulating in the country,” Dr. Romeo Turingan, the Department of Health’s (DOH) focal person on dengue fever, said.

Experts also attribute the rise in cases to climate change.

There is currently a dengue outbreak in Luna, Delfin Albano and Santiago City. This is due to the ongoing rise in dengue fever cases compared to the records for dengue fever in previous years.

“Affected local government units are now doing its best to put a stop to the increasing number of dengue cases,” Turingan said. “We will also help them contain the situation in their areas.”

Early autumn

🍁 Evening walks in the forest by myself (scary at times) 🍁 Reading Philosopher’s Stone in bed with windows open for five hours straight 🍁 Watching Ripper Street obsessively with C 🍁 The Witches of the Four Quarters marathon in bed on a rainy evening drinking cayenne pepper tea 🍁 Bought a book!!! (financial stress means I haven’t been able to buy any books in three years. In 2015, however, I’ve managed to buy three so far -second hand) Don’t you just get goosebumps when new books are coming into your life?! 🍁 Adventures with my love C, such as this one 🍁 C reading me Game of Thrones out loud 🍁 Lots of baking, I love baking and feeding goodies to my people 🍁 Ongoing rainy weather. The beauty, the smell, the breeze, the energy… 🍁 The magic I feel in my heart this time of year 🍁 Glamor spells in the bathtub 🍁 Listening to MuggleCast epis for hours 🍁 Bronze jewelry 🍁 My new gratitude journal 🍁  That Sunday night when C decided to come over spontaneously and sleep with me 🍁 A midday spent in the forest by myself. Warm and glorious 🍁 My dog’s soft body 🍁 Dressing up + kebabs & falafels with C 🍁 My love’s soft lips. Seriously, otherwordly 🍁 Persimmon trees & how C climbs them to bring us dessert 🍁 Mandarin essential oil in my water. Yuuum! 🍁 Berry smoothies 🍁 Having tooooons of alone time 🍁 C appreciating hardcorely the triple sandwiches I put in his lunch bag. I know, I know, a wife… doesn’t get any more perfect than me 😉 🍁 Wearing mostly black & bronze color palette 🍁 Making autumn crafts 🍁 Got delicious free samples from Lush 🍁 My cousin came back from three months in New Jersey (USA) and told us about her experiences 🍁 Super fun lectures on the Brontës and Jane Austen, such as this one, and watching a ton of documentaries as well 🍁 Walking under the rain for one hour, on purpose, because it’s amazing 🍁 That morning when my computer went ppffftt goodbye and I mentioned it to C over text and he RAN to my house to fix it even though I yelled at him not to come cause he had a lot of work to do. He always leaves everything for me, it’s truly amazing. So grateful for the existence of people like him in the world, and more specially grateful for his existence in particular 🍁 Outlander. Sooo goooood 🍁 Buffy marathon with C in bed 🍁 Oracle readings 🍁 Apple cider vinegar baths 🍁 When the women in Practical Magic dance around and are happy 🍁 My first hot chocolate of the second half of the year. Spiced with orange, cinnamon and cayenne pepper 🍁 C & I managing to resolve serious issues in our relationship and sticking together 🍁 His arms 🍁 His hugs 🍁 His commitment to me 🍁 My commitment to him 🍁 My strength 🍁 My beauty.

Is the New “Female Viagra” Really Just a Roofie? | Dame Magazine

There is something very 19th century about this diagnosis.And now the attitude is we can fix this, we’ll give you a pill. It’s so Western and male-driven, where the whole point of sex is to get to the finish line, which has traditionally been about the male ejaculation. Viagra is the No. 1 prescribed medication of all time. Pfizer has made so much money. They’re so invested in this way of looking at the issue. So why wouldn’t a drug company want to find the “pink Viagra?”One of my fears about Addyi is that women are going to take it, and because the efficacy rates are poor they’re going to feel like a failure. And those women who have serious issues around physical pain such as vaginismus, or sexual abuse, or post-traumatic stress, or a history with orgasmic dysfunction are going to take this drug instead of getting sex therapy or good treatment for the actual psychological issue that might be underlying some of the greater problems.There are real physical issues such as age-related issues of menopause—but many women might be pulling away from sex with their partner because they sense something is wrong in the relationship, such as betrayal or abuse.Women are very intuitive so sometimes our bodies know before our heads know what is going on in our relationship. Women exist in their bodies in a different way than men because we have to let someone in, physically, emotionally, sexually. We will protect ourselves if we sense that there’s any danger whatsoever. Often sex shuts down long before the relationship is over.

Source: Is the New “Female Viagra” Really Just a Roofie? | Dame Magazine