Typhoon season 'unusually' harsh

Global warming is contributing to an unusually harsh typhoon season in China that started around a month early and has left thousands dead or missing, government officials and experts say.

"The natural disasters caused by typhoons in our country have been many this year," the head of the China Meteorological Administration, Qin Dahe, said in recent comments on his organisation's website.

"Against the backdrop of global warming, more and more strong and unusual climatic and atmospheric events are taking place.

from Independent Online from South Africa