12,000 Hectares Consumed by Raging Fires in Southern Chile

^{PHOTO: FIRE RAGING THROUGH THE WOODS DAMAGES TO HOMES, FIELDS AND PROPERTY SOUNDBITES FROM VICTIMS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FIRE BRIGADE FIGHTING FIRES}

INTERNATIONAL: Raging fires in southern Chile have consumed over 12,000 hectares as of Monday.The largest bush fire has destroyed several homes in Nuble Region, leaving behind only metal rooftops and appliances.

To contain the destruction that has already burnt through 1,600 hectares in the Quillon municipality alone, authorities mobilised four planes and five helicopters along dozens of security and fire brigade officers.

Quillon resident Juan Estrada, who lost his home in the fires says all he has left is what he is wearing right now.

 In its Monday report, the National Emergency Office of Chile's Interior Ministry indicated 19 fires were active nationwide while 35 others were already extinguished.

Streets Turn into Rivers in North Eastern Brazil

^{PHOTO: DRONE SHOTS OF FLOODED STREETS IN ITAJUIPE, BRAZIL}

Drone footage shot on Monday has showed floodwater had not receded in parts of the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia, with search and rescue operations continues.

One of the worst-hit towns, Itajuipe, in Bahia state, still saw homes, streets, and vehicles half-submerged after two dams gave way following weeks of heavy rains.

The Igua dam, on the Verruga River near the city of Vitoria da Conquista in southern Bahia has collapsed on Saturday night, forcing authorities to evacuate residents, mainly in the town of Itambe.

A second dam gave way to rising water levels in Jussiape, 100 kilometres to the north, on Sunday morning, bringing more alerts for residents to move to safer ground.

There were no reports of deaths or injuries caused by the dam failures, though bridges and roads were damaged.

Bahia Governor Rui Castro has said the heavy rains have impacted at least 400,000 people, and thousands evacuated from some 67 towns facing emergency situations due to floods caused by heavy rainfall for almost two months.

Civil defense officials have said that the rains have caused 18 deaths in Bahia since the beginning of November, including a 60-year-old ferry owner who drowned on the swollen Rio das Contas River.

Avian Flu Kills Thousand of Migratory Cranes in Israel

^{PHOTO: CRANE DYING OF AVIAN FLU IN HULA VALLEY, THOUSANDS OF MIGRATORY CRANES DEAD IN A LAKE, INTERVIEW WITH ENVIRONMENT MINISTER TAMAR ZANDBERG}

And…An outbreak of avian flu has killed more than 5,000 migratory cranes in Israel, prompting authorities to declare a popular nature reserve off-limits to visitors and warn of a possible egg shortage as local poultry are culled as a precaution.

Environment Minister Tamar Zandberg has declared it is the worst blow to wildlife in the country's history. Rangers in protective suits collected carcasses from a lake in the northern Hula Nature Reserve and outlying marshes.She said hundreds of thousands of chickens had been culled.

Report say that children who had visited the reserve may have possibly touched a stricken crane and thus contributed to the spread of the flu. Authorities were looking to import eggs from abroad and avert an egg shortage due to the cull.