Weather disasters have quadrupled in the past 20 years:Oxfam

[malaise]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/11/25/nweather125.xml

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The number of weather-related disasters has quadrupled in the past 20 years and more should be done to prepare for them, according to Oxfam.

The international aid agency blames rising greenhouse gas emissions for the jump in severe storms, flooding and drought.

In a report released today, Oxfam says there are now as many as 500 weather-related disasters a year, compared to an average of 120 in the early 1980s.

The number of floods has increased six-fold over the same period, while the number of people affected by weather-related disasters has also risen by 68 per cent.

Oxfam's director, Barbara Stocking, said floods in South Asia had affected more than 250 million people this year alone.
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