Africa
Algeria
(Feb 16) More than 40 people have died in Algeria’s cold spell.Unprecedented amounts of the white stuff have also caused widespread chaos. The northern tip of Africa has been hit by the same weather systems that caused recent freezing temperatures in Europe. (Source)
Madagascar
(Feb 17) The category four tropical storm claimed 17 lives, injured 77 with four reported missing. High winds and heavy rainfall destroyed about 8,475 houses with 4,230 completely crushed. (Source) (Feb 16) At least 16 people have been killed this week when a category four cyclone lashed Madagascar’s eastern shores, rescue authorities said on Wednesday. Some 65 people were injured and about 11,000 people left homeless. (Source)
Malawi
(Feb 8) More than 6,000 villagers have been forced to flee their homes after cyclone rains lashed a remote region of Malawi. Further rain is in forecast and a severe outbreak of malaria is a real fear for aid workers. (Source)
Zimbabwe
(Feb 1) Many regions in Zimbabwe are turning into dust bowls as the dry continental air is being pushed by cyclone Funso into country. Villagers said they are now appealing for food aid following the ruin of their crops. (Source)
Asia
China
(Feb 27) Cold weather continues to plague the northwestern Xinjiang region of China. Over $900,000 of damage was reported, according to state media. Natural calamities are taking a toll on provinces in western China. In the north, people suffer from severe snowstorms, while southwestern areas are coping with prolonged drought. (Source)
(Feb 8) A strong cold snap has swept China, with regions north of the Yangze River experiencing drastic drops in temperature. China is experiencing an unusually colder winter than usual and temperatures will continue to fall until mid-February, meteorologists said. (Source)
(Feb 1) The worst drought in 60 years makes China’s largest freshwater lake, Poyang a desolate spectacle – a dried-out plain stretches as far as the eye can see. The beginning of 2012 has proved even worse. (Source)
(Feb 7) A month-long cold front has persisted in and caused havoc for more than 40,000 people. Over 1,600 heads of livestock were killed and cracks appeared on walls in over 8,000 homes due to the freezing weather in north China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region after a cold front persisted for one month. The extreme weather has inflicted direct economic losses and apartment renovation costs of 13 million yuan (2.1 million U.S. dollars).(Source)
India
(Feb 10) Temperatures across India plummeted rapidly in the second week of January. Since then, the western Himalayas have witnessed heavy snow and the northern plains have remained chilly. Central India and parts of south India have had record-breaking cold spells. (Source)
Indonesia
(Feb 27) The military and police are struggling to rescue thousands of people trapped in Aceh after a flash flood on Saturday pounded villages in the province and swept away dozens of homes. (Source)
(Feb 23) Torrential rain caused landslides in Central Java, claiming two lives. (Source) (Feb 20) As rain continues to fall across, water at the Katulampa Dam reached dangerous levels and could spelling disaster for Jakarta if it continued to rise. Most Indonesian areas are already flooded. (Source)
Japan
(Feb 9) A cold snap has returned to the main islands of Japan, pounding cities with blizzards and heavy snow already piled to record heights in some areas. (Source) Heavy snow blanketed northern Japan for weeks disrupting transport networks, closing schools and leaving more than 60 dead. Majority of the death was said to have caused by people falling from the roofs while trying to clear accumulated snow. (Source) The combination of record and near-record cold weather in the main Japanese islands with the near-total shutdown of its nuclear generation facilities has the country considering the possibility of massive power blackouts in one or more regions. (Source)
(Feb 4) The country experienced severe cold weather Friday and morning temperatures dropped to record lows at 38 locations nationwide with 16 prefectures recorded their lowest temperatures ever. (Source) (Feb 3) In one of the country’s coldest winters in recent years, heavy snow has blanketed northern Japan for weeks, triggering avalanches and disrupting transport networks, has left at least 56 people dead, officials. (Source)
Kashmir India
(Feb 23) Two massive avalanches in snowbound regions of Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 16 soldiers. (Source) (Feb 19) At least six people were killed including four of a family and four others were injured Saturday after a passenger van they were traveling in was hit by a landslide in Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said. (Source) (Feb 6) Kashmir Valley reeled under severe cold wave due to heavy snowfall which lead to cancellation of several flights. (Source)
Korea
(Feb 1) The streets of Seoul, South Korea are covered in some of the heaviest snow on record. The snow caused traffic jams all over the city which deployed more than 200 police officers to control traffic. (Source)
Australia
(Feb 29) Evacuations are underway in one town and emergency crews are standing by in three others as large parts of New South Wales continue to be deluged with the heaviest rains in more than 80 years. (Source)
(Feb 16) More than 8000 people remain isolated two weeks after a deluge struck communities in northern NSW. Most of these flood victims will remain cut off for up to another month while a smaller number of them might have to wait until April to see dry land. (Source)
(Feb 8) Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says there is “no end in sight” to the flood crisis in St George, as the town deals with a rising river, a damaged weir and inoperable sewerage systems. (Source) Meanwhile, the agricultural industry is expected to suffer losses of at least $750 million as a result of the devastating NSW floods, with tens of thousands of livestock at risk. (Source)
(Feb 6) Tasmanians are enduring a summer of extreme weather conditions, with the state experiencing record-breaking hot nights, chilly cold spells, thunderstorms and torrential rain last month. The temperature in Hobart exceeded 28C for eight days last month, which has only happened twice before: in January 1961 and February 1895. (Source)
(Feb 3) Record-breaking floods have sparked a disaster declaration in Queensland’s southwest, with the premier warning the region has entered dangerous new territory. The deluge has already sparked dozens of rescues and left about 7,275 people isolated in various parts of New South Wales state. (Source)
(Feb 1) Sydney has recorded its soggiest January in 11 years and the coldest one in 12 years. (Source) Perth has sweltered through its hottest January in 34 years, after experiencing its first heat wave this summer. (Source) New South Wales town of Moree is predicted to be split in half by floodwaters, after severe floodings worse than that occurred in the 1970s. (Source)
Fiji
(Feb 1) Fiji braces for a second tropical depression as the death toll in the nation’s floods rises to seven. (Source)
Extreme Weather in Europe and The Middle East : Feb 2012
Extreme Weather in North and South America: Feb 2012
Extreme Weather Around The World: Jan 2012
January 2012 breaks weather records in the U.S and around the World; Global economy would collapse if a major disaster struck
