The Stream, August 28: Northeast China Hit by Worst Floods in 100 Years

Floods
More than 26,000 hectares of farmland were covered by floodwaters and 300 households were evacuated Monday in China’s northeast Heilongjiang province, Xinhua reported in this photo slideshow. The flooding is the worst the region has seen in a century.

Flooding in Sudan during the past month has also displaced families, with more than 530,000 people affected by the rising waters, Xinhua reported, citing government estimates. The flooding was caused by heavier than average rains, and health officials worry about outbreaks of waterborne diseases.

Water Science
Researchers from Columbia University are using aerial radar imaging systems to study how ice sheets are melting in Greenland, the Guardian reported. The research aims to track minute cracks and meltwater within the ice sheets, which are a major contributor to global sea level rise.

New evidence from NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper suggests that at least some water on the moon came from deep underground, according to Space.com. The moon’s craters are thought to hold enough ice that some companies are planning to eventually mine it.

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek