It would take several months for ships to tow an iceberg from Antarctica to South America or the Middle East, but some scientists believe it would be worth the expense. A half-melted iceberg could provide a large city with fresh water for a few months.

Natural Disaster

Droughts

"El Nino is continuing to evolve. Continuing to be a very awesome event." Nick Green, Oceanologist, 1997

Too little water can be as disastrous as too much. A lack of water is called a drought. In times of drought, people and animals die of thirst and crops wither, causing famines that can kill millions of people even in areas far away from the affected region. Wars and deforestation can make droughts worse - without trees, the soil cannot retain nearly as much moisture.

In 1997, a weather phenomenon began brewing in the Pacific Ocean. Called "El Nino", it is a warming of the equatorial Pacific off South America which causes unusual changes in the climate around the world. This may well be the largest climatic event of the century, responsible for violent weather and droughts in Brazil, Africa, Australia and even the United States. In Indonesia, where the weather had been unusually dry, the farmers and logging companies continued to clear forests by burning trees, setting fire to large parts of the country. The El Nino in 1993 to 1994 was not severe but, the one in August 1983, caused global damage estimated at £17 billion. High winds and heavy rains in the Arizona desert in the United States turned streets in to rivers and toppled power lines.

Dam-busters

"The gates slowly opened, and an enormous wall of water came towards us." Eye-witness, Florence, Italy, 1966

Dams hold back such vast amounts of water that a failure can cause terrible floods. Failure usually results from neglect, poor design, or earthquake damage. When a dam bursts, an overpowering surge of water is released downstream which destroys everything in its path.

At exactly 7:26 a.m. on 4 November 1966, every electric clock in the city of Florence in Italy stopped. There was no power for the next 24 hours, and all communication with the outside world was served. The worst storms in Italy for 1,000 years had caused the river Arno in Florence to flood.

The operators of a hydroelectric dam 46 km (29 miles) upstream should have gradually released rainwater as it built up. Instead they waited until the strain on the dam gates was so immense that they were forced to open them at once. Within minutes, the city was under 2 m (6 ft) of water. The ancient sewer system broke up and waste was forced out of manholes all over the city. Helicopters were drafted in to airlift survivors from rooftop, and rescue workers were brought in from other countries to assist. The extent of the disaster caused 5,000 people to lose their homes and inflicted servere damage on many of Florence's priceless works of art.

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