Strong quake hits northern Japan

TOKYO (AFP) - A strong quake, with a magnitude of 5.5 on the Richter scale, jolted northern Japan, near an area that was recently hit by tsunamis, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The quake happened at 8:15 pm (1115 GMT) off the eastern shore of Nemuro city of Hokkaido prefecture, 1,000 kilometers (625 miles) north of Tokyo, the agency said.

The quake, which happened around islands claimed by both Japan and Russia, was 100 kilometers deep, the agency said.

There were no immediate reports of damage and no concerns about a tsunami, the agency said.

The Nemuro area experienced minor tsunamis last week after one of the biggest earthquakes in recent times hit near the northeastern Russian-ruled Kuril islands.

Japan lies at the junction of four tectonic plates and endures about 20 percent of the world's most powerful earthquakes, which frequently jolt Tokyo and other major cities.

Floods kill seven more in Somalia, six in Kenya

MOGADISHU, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Seven people, including children, and dozens of cattle drowned after a river burst its banks in flood-hit Somalia, residents said on Wednesday, as aid workers stepped up efforts to help over 300,000 people affected.

In Kenya, local media said six people had died in flooding and several buildings had collapsed.

Floods have killed scores, driven tens of thousands from their homes, submerged villages and washed away bridges and roads in southcentral Somalia, making it difficult to get aid to victims still trapped and stoking fears of disease.

At least five people have been killed by crocodiles as they waded through waist-deep floodwaters, that have submerged large swathes of farmland and washed away food stocks.

Residents in the remote Hagarwaajo village in the southern Middle Juba region said the Juba river had burst overnight.

"Five children and two elderly people drowned. Fifty cattle and 100 goats were also washed away," Hussein Mohamed Gudane, a local elder at Hagarwaajo told Reuters by telephone. "We fear many more will die because it is still raining heavily."

In the neighbouring Middle Shabelle region, health workers said people were falling ill because of the floodwaters.

"I have treated nearly 30 people, mostly women and children suffering from diarrhoea," said Abdi Abdulle Hirsi, a doctor in the town of Marka. "There must be many more sick victims out there since most of the areas are unreachable."

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it had started airlifting tarpaulins to assist some 324,000 Somalis.

U.N. aid bodies say up to 1.8 million people have been affected by torrential rains that have pounded the Horn of Africa, forcing tens of thousands from their homes.

In Kenya, where the coastal and northeastern provinces are the worst hit, six people drowned, local media said on Wednesday. One television station said three buildings in Mombasa had collapsed after heavy rains there.

Thousands of people living in a refugee camp near the Somali border are being evacuated after storms swept across the area.

The heavy rains in the region are forecast to continue into at least December.

Dead birds raise avian flu fears in Somalia

JOWHAR, Somalia, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Dozens of dead birds in a flood ravaged village in Somalia have raised fears of an avian flu outbreak in a country with limited health facilities, officials said on Wednesday.

The carcasses of the dead birds, which were thought to be ducks, were found in Elbaraf, 55 km (34 miles) north of the town of Jowhar, local veterinarian Ali Hamud told Reuters.

"We burnt 51 carcasses," Hamud said.

Scientists have suggested that migratory birds play an important role in the spread of the deadly H5N1 flu virus, which originated in Asia and has killed more than 150 people worldwide so far.

Hamud said most of the birds found had tags around their feet and necks indicating they had been come via the "Orient Institute" in Zagreb, Croatia.

Somalia is already battling floods that have submerged villages and farmland and washed away bridges and food stocks.

"We don't have the capacity to test the birds here for bird flu or other diseases. Floods are already ravaging villages here and the last thing we want is an epidemic," Hamud said.

Resident Nur Jimale said the birds were spotted 10 days ago in flocks of hundreds.

"We fear the unusual birds have brought diseases with them. I just saw their carcasses lying everywhere yesterday. I have never seen such birds in Somalia," he said.

Already one of the poorest countries in Africa, Somalia has lost tens of thousands of people to conflict and famine since 1991.

usa East Coast Woes Continue

While most of the country will have smooth sailing weather-wise on this travel day, parts of the eastern U.S. will have problems. A storm system off the Southeast coast will bring heavy rain to parts of the Eastern Seaboard today. The Carolinas and Virginia will bear the brunt of the rough weather. Some areas could see 2-3" of rain today and localized flooding is possible. Look for rain to move into the Washington-Baltimore area shortly after lunch time. Showers will be approaching Philadelphia towards day's end. Strong winds are also expected, especially along the coast, where gusts to 50 mph are likely. These winds will lead to high surf, strong rip current, coastal flooding, and beach erosion. Gusty winds will also extend to interior sections of the Carolinas and Virginia, with gusts approaching 40 mph. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving is not looking to be a nice weather day for some cities in the Northeast. Rain and breezy conditions will impact the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Rain is also on tap for Hartford, Providence, and Boston.

Snow falls in central Florida as state endures unusual November cold snap

ORLANDO (AP) — Snowbirds come to the Sunshine State to escape them, but weather officials said a few snowflakes were spotted in Central Florida.

The flakes, mixed with rain, fell about 9 p.m. Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Snow shovels were not needed, but some of the white stuff did hit the ground before melting, weather-service meteorologist John Pendergrast said.

"It's just cold enough in the lower levels of the atmosphere" to keep the flakes from melting, Pendergrast said.

The last time the region saw snow was in 2003, when flakes fell over Brevard and Volusia counties.

It was Florida's first November snowfall since 1912 when Tallahassee received flurries on Nov. 27-28, WKMG-TV in Orlando reported.

Temperatures in the area Tuesday night dipped to the low 40s, and were expected to fall to the 30s, Pendergrast said.

Wind chills may drop into the 20s in parts of north Florida and high temperatures may only reach the 60s as far south as the Keys on Wednesday, state meteorologist Ben Nelson said.

Miami wasn't expected to even hit 70°F on Wednesday, and low temperatures were expected to dive into the mid-40s.

A developing storm out at sea off of Florida's east coast is driving cold air southward into the state, which resulted in freeze watches for several locations in the Panhandle earlier this week. Residents were being reminded to protect themselves, their plants, their pets and their pipes.

The cold weather is expected to last through Thanksgiving, but by the end of the week warmer temperatures were forecast to return. By Sunday, the high in Miami is expected to be 81°F.