Frightening floods
Floods and landslides have killed 12 people on the main island of Indonesia, Java.
This is because nearly every rainy season Java has floods. In February 2008 this
has occurred.
Four people were killed when an electric pole
was toppled by storms and hit a car. Rain and
floods forced about 100,000 Jakarta residents
from their homes and brought the city to a
standstill. Several areas in Jakarta, where
flooding killed five people earlier that month
were under water but there weren’t any people hurt straight away, although a lot of
people have been reported missing. So the government are still searching.
Heavy rain killed eight people in east Java in two days says the head of health ministry’s
crisis centre. Environmentalists say that much of the forest cover in the area- which
would normally take in some rain and prevent landslides from slipping- has been cut down
in recent years, contributing to the disaster. Indonesia is no stranger to flash flooding
and landslides, especially during the rainy season between November and March, but the
situation has been made worse. In Indonesia they have to suffer floods and landslides
nearly every rainy season. The government are making lots of progress in building more
shelters, but lots of work still needs to be done.
Reporter: Isabelle (Brook Primary)
Super Strong Storms
The climate in Indonesia is hot and wet which
causes storms.
When storms happen it makes the sea rise and
this causes ferries to sink after the sea rises.
Storms also cause floods and this makes peoples
homes to be wrecked.
Lightning storms can be very dangerous. This person experienced a very powerful
lightning storm in a camp. “A very powerful lightning bolt struck a tree from 30 feet
away from me. A massive shock came up my feet it was very painful. The storm was very
destructive and it also hurt a lot of people. We where all happy that the storm was
finished and nobody was seriously injured.”
As a result of a storm floods are very likely to
happen. When a ferry sinks up to 500 people
could have drowned. The danger after a storm is
forest fires could happen because trees could
get struck by lightning. The storms are most
likely to happen in the wet and rainy season. The
wet season can be ok but storms will happen at
least once which means there could be a flood
every wet and rainy season. Indonesia is a great
place to go on holiday. Indonesia only has two
season all year round.
Reporter: Callum
(Brook Primary)
Sea level rise is the greatest problem!
Tuvalu is a small island in the South Pacific
between Australia and Hawaii.
The population of Tuvalu is eleven thousand which
is about sixty nine thousand less than Ashford’s
present population. The country is tiny, only
twenty six square kilometres about the size of
Maidstone.
Fancy a holiday on this wonderful island? Well you better be quick as it is sinking and it
is sinking rapidly too!
One metre to disaster!
BANG! Did you know that the little island Tuvalu is only about 1m above sea level
And the highest point at 15 feet twice as high as your front room door?
To over come this from happening there is some minor ideas.
Star fish food!
If that is not bad enough global worming has resulted in the
star fish eating away at the foundations of the island. Sea
springs are appearing all over the island and people’s houses
are under threat. We must find away to reduce the star fish
population.
Don’t run away our run way!
There is one big disaster waiting to strike like lighting, the only way of the island is to take
the 10-20 passenger plane. If people are still on this island when the run way is flooded it will
look like the remake of the titanic.
Word reaction!
Join are hands together and help the people of Tuvalu.
Reporter: George (Oak Tree Primary)
TUVALU IN THE BIG SCARY WORLD
Tuvalu is a small island in the South Pacific between
Hawaii and Australia. Is about 26 Km2 is just bigger
than Ashford! So Tuvalu is about the same size as
Maidstone!
Tuvalu’s population is 11,000 and Ashford’s
population is around 80,000! That’s 69,000 less
than Ashford in Kent!
Tuvalu used to be a country that belonged to the British colony but in 1978 they became an
independent country!
What is the problem in Tuvalu?
The problem is that people of Tuvalu don’t want
to move if there island floods. However if Global
Warming floods the island in the future they will
never return. The world must learn to recycle
otherwise global warming will destroy Tuvalu in
50 years but not only this island but England to!
Another problem of global warming is the
Starfish, as this marine life will eat the coral.
This now means that springs of sea water can be
seen appearing all across the island!
How Global Warming Affects Tuvalu!
Global Warming affects Tuvalu, because when we make things e.g. Nail Varnish and Lipstick it sends
of harmful Gases that melt the polar ice caps, witch causes the sea level to rise!
Do you want a holiday in this wonderful island then hurry! We only have 50 years to save Tuvalu and
England!
Reporter: Harry (Oak Tree Primary)
Devastating Drought
Fires and drought in Indonesia threaten Orangutans, the cuddly soft apes which live in Kalimantan
and Sumatra. There are only 300 orang-utans left in
East Kalimantan and the numbers are falling
because of forest exploitation. Also because of
droughts bushfires which are destroying their
habitats.
Flag of Indonesia
As well as orang-utans other animals are getting affected by the droughts
such as tigers and wild elephants.
Droughts also disrupt agriculture. Smog
and deforestation also affect wildlife.
The reason there are more droughts and a
fire, in Indonesia is because of the
changes in the Indian Ocean temperatures
because of Global Warming.
Scientists are now telling us humans
burning fossils cause’s stronger Monsoon
rains. We must all BEWARE!
Reporter: Nicole (Brook Primary)
Kenya weather disasters
100,000 people have so far been displaced in
parts of Kenya because of floods. According to
Kenya's Human Rights commission, more than
300 people have been killed because of the hot
weather.
Several of Kenya's poorest areas are in dire need of assistance due to severe flooding.
These terrible floods have killed more than 200 people and affected a million more in
recent weeks. A cholera epidemic spread by the floods has also killed at least 49
Sudanese in recent weeks, according to the World Health Organisation.
Hundreds of homes have been wrecked
after two days of torrential rain and bad
floods. It has been devastating for the
people who have had there homes
destroyed. They are very worried about
how much it is going to cost then to
rebuild their homes. Across the country
the repairs are likely to run into millions
of dollars.
What would you do if your home was flooded? Where would you live?
Reporters: Adele, Shindya, Nadine and Natasha (Oak Tree Primary)