Caracas suffers worst drought since 1947

September 21st, 2009 USDA calls most of Calif. a drought disaster areaFRESNO, Calif.

September 16th, 2009 JAMMU - Authorities here are considering declaring the Jammu region drought-hit as it has received 40 percent less rainfall this monsoon. "We are gathering the statistics and other facts to see if we can declare the region drought-hit.

September 12th, 2009 CARACAS - A 6.4-magnitude earthquake rocked several parts of Venezuela Saturday, but there were no reports of casualties or damage. Jesse Chacon, the minister for science, technology and industry, said the earthquake took place at a depth of about 15.9 km and its epicentre was located 28 km northeast of Moron in Carabobo state.

September 12th, 2009 Moderate earthquake rattles Venezuela's capitalCARACAS, Venezuela — An earthquake rattled Venezuela's capital Saturday, but there were no reports of major damage or injuries. The U.S. Geological Survey reported a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 for the quake, saying the epicenter was off Venezuela's Caribbean coast 65 miles (110 kilometers) west of Caracas.

September 9th, 2009 Kenya's famous elephants die of drought, poachingNAIROBI, Kenya — Poaching and drought-related hunger have killed more than 100 of Kenya's famous elephants in the north of the country so far this year, conservationists say. Zoologist Iain Douglas-Hamilton, who founded Save the Elephants, said the drought is Kenya's worst in 12 years.

August 23rd, 2009 BEIJING - China's anti-drought authority has urged for more efforts to fight drought in the north of the country that is affecting some 4.6 million people, and warned of a possible drought in the south. The drought in the north was threatening 8.67 million hectares of crops, the office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said Saturday.

August 23rd, 2009 China drought leaves 5 million short of waterBEIJING — A drought in China's north has left nearly 5 million people short of drinking water and damaged crops, while dry weather in the south could cause more shortages, a state news agency reported Sunday. The drought has caused water shortages for 4.6 million people and 4.1 million head of livestock, the Xinhua News Agency said, citing an announcement by the national anti-drought administration.

August 22nd, 2009 PATNA - An 11-member central team visiting the drought-hit parts of Bihar for the past three days has found the situation in the affected areas to be grim, the team's leader said Saturday. R.K. Tiwari, joint secretary in the agriculture ministry who led the team, said the situation was bad due to the poor monsoon.

August 20th, 2009 MEXICO CITY - More than three million farmers are reeling under drought in Mexico this year due to the El Nino weather phenomenon, officials said. The National Water Commission said some 3.5 million farmers are reeling under drought.

August 18th, 2009 HYDERABAD - With the southwest monsoon triggering heavy rains in parts of Andhra Pradesh and reviving hopes of the farmers, the Congress government is reluctant to declare the state drought hit. Minister for Revenue and Relief D.

August 18th, 2009 UN says Kenya in desperate need of food aidKARIUNGA, Kenya — More than 1 million Kenyans affected by a prolonged drought are not getting the food aid they desperately need, the U.N.'s World Food Program said Tuesday. The agency already is providing emergency food aid to some 2.5 million people in this East African nation, but another 1.3 million still need help, said Gabrielle Menezes, a spokeswoman for WFP.

August 17th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - New lakes will be dug and reservoirs built, while old ones will be renovated by the Haryana government to fight drought in the future, the state's finance minister has announced. The Haryana government has decided to dig big lakes and will renovate the old ones in the state to provide irrigation facilities to the farmers in adverse circumstances, a state government spokesman said Monday quoting the minister, Birendra Singh.

August 15th, 2009 BEIJING - A severe drought threatens 8.3 million hectares of crops in northern China, which produces 30 percent of the country's autumn grain output, the agriculture ministry said Saturday. The ministry Saturday declared a third-level emergency in response to the drought.

July 24th, 2009 LUCKNOW - With rainfall in Uttar Pradesh nearly 58 percent below average so far this monsoon, the spectre of drought looms large over parts of the state. According to the agriculture department, the yield of paddy is expected to drop by 35-40 percent.

July 7th, 2009 RANCHI - Jharkhand Tuesday declared four of its 24 districts as drought hit, an official said. The four districts which have been declared as drought hit are Palamau, Chatra, Latehar and Garhwa.