Typhoon Bopha hits Philippines banana harvest hard

About one quarter of the banana crop in the Philippines, a major food export for that country, has been destroyed by Typhoon Bopha, according to early damage assessments. Furthermore, banana growers fear the storm may have served to spread “Panama Disease,” which has been described by some researchers as “one of the most destructive plant diseases in modern times.”

1-Summary on The Return movement:

Since the beginning of 2011, the number of the registered returnees with the Ministry of Displacement and Migration (MoDM) increased dramatically compared to the same period in 2010. Starting in April 2011 onward, the number was steadily increasing, reaching a peak in August of 2011 but taking a downward trend afterwards although it still remained relatively high throughout 2012.This increase could be attributed to different reasons, including but not limited to:

Insecurity remains the biggest determinant of humanitarian need in Afghanistan. Reinforcing the protection of civilians is the predominant objective of the humanitarian community in 2013.

Highlights

• A large number of tents in the affected areas are dismantled and people are living either in the multifunctional transitional shelters or rural permanent residential units.

• More than 11,400 rural permanent residential units are roofed in 103 days

• The weather forecast illustrates 2 days of precipitation of rain or snow and the temperature of 9 to -3 centigrade for the next 5 days.

The monitoring mission found that accommodation conditions were harsh, a fully functioning legal framework was absent, and the capacity to assess refugee claims was inadequate.

1-Summary on The Return movement:

Since the beginning of 2011, the number of the registered returnees with the Ministry of Displacement and Migration (MoDM) increased dramatically compared to the same period in 2010. Starting in April onward, the number was steadily increasing, reaching a peak in August but taking a downward trend afterwards although it still remained relatively high throughout 2012.

• This increase could be attributed to different reasons, including but not limited to :

BANGKOK, 11 December 2012 (IRIN) - The good news: fewer people died from natural disasters in Asia in 2012 than in previous years. The bad news: between January and October, natural disasters still claimed more lives here than anywhere else in the world - and experts predict the trend will continue as populations and industries expand in a region that already houses the world’s largest number of urban residents.

Summary: An Earthquake with the magnitude of 5.5 on the Richter scale rocked Eastern Province of Iran, South Khorasan province on 5 December 2012. As per Tehran University’s Seismological Center, the earthquake hit at 20:38 PM local time with an epicenter in Zohan city around 42 KM from Birjand the capital city of the province . The towns of Zohan, Ghaen, Zirkooh, Hoserobat and Birjand and their surrounding rural areas are the main earthquake stricken places.

An earthquake with magnitude 5.6 has hit South Khorasan province in Iran, killing at least eight people and injuring 12. As of 6 December, no further information available