Source : http://www.dofollownet.com
February 22, 2010 - I was shocked by the violence of the floods and landslides caused by torrential rains when I saw these images on TV last night. I've witnessed several floods in different part of the world and almost been carried away with my truck by a flash flood while crossing a wadi in East Africa, but I had never seen anything comparable, excepted maybe videos from the 2004 tsunami.
The island of Madeira, often called the "flower island" or the "pearl of the Atlantic" with its oceanic subtropical climate has always been considered like a paradise island and a popular tourist destination thanks to very pleasant weather and beautiful volcanic and mountainous landscapes.
That's precisely this steep montainous terrain, coupled with an anarchic urban development that explain why the very heavy rains of last Saturday have caused so many casualties and damage.
The latest official toll hits 43 dead , 101 injured, 250 homeless and an unknown number missing.
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