An apparent tornado hit a Mississippi shopping mall as a line of severe storms swept across the Southeast and was headed to the Mid-Atlantic today. Portions of Alabama remained under tornado watches until early Thursday evening as the storm moved east over the Mississippi Valley. The system was due to bring severe storms and wind to southern Virginia today. The storm was due in New England by Saturday, the Weather Channel reported.

Powerful storms swept across a number of places of the country including Dhaka, Mymensingh, Rangpur, Sherpur, Jamalpur and Gaibandha on Thurday and Friday evening killing five people and causing damage to dwellings and standing crops. In the capital, rickshaw-puller Almas (40) died after a tree fell on him during the nor'wester on Friday evening in the Tejgaon industrial area. Almas, a resident of Tejgaon slums died after being taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

HALEM

A recent study conducted on the stunted growth of mangrove vegetation in the Sundarbans spells doom for Kolkata and parts of south Bengal in the event of a major storm like hurricane Sidr. The study comprising compilation of data regarding salinity, tidal amplitude, turbidity coupled with quantum of dissolved oxygen in the local river water points a warning finger towards the city and the unsuspecting inhabitants living in and around it.

Hurricanes in some areas, including the North Atlantic, are likely to become more intense as a result of global warming even though the number of such storms decline, according to a study by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers. Kerry Emanuel, the study's co-author, wrote a paper in 2005 reporting an apparent link between a warming climate and an increase in hurricane intensity. That paper drew worldwide attention because it appeared in Nature just three weeks before Hurricane Katrina slammed into New Orleans.

Ten Students Missing In New Zealand River Flood NEW ZEALAND: April 16, 2008 WELLINGTON - Ten teenagers are missing after being swept away in a raging river in New Zealand as violent storms caused widespread flooding in the country's North Island, local media and police said. The students were taking part in an activity with the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre when they got into trouble at the Mangatepopo Gorge, said police.

Tornado study to dive into storm's heart This funnel cloud formed April 10 in Keo, Ark, although no tornadoes on the ground were reported. A band of hail, heavy rain and twisters pounded Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma Thursday, damaging hundreds of homes, flooding roads and leaving thousands without power. U.S. scientists plan the most extensive tornado study since one in the mid-1990s that helped inspire the Hollywood film Twister. Starting in spring 2009, researchers intend to hunt tornado-spawning thunderstorms in the central part of the country.

Olympics - Beijing Seeds Clouds To Protect Opening Ceremony CHINA: April 11, 2008 BEIJING - More than 100 people and three aircraft will be on standby at the Beijing Olympics to manipulate the weather if storms threaten the opening ceremony. Staff at 21 locations around the capital will fire rockets to seed storm clouds if there is a danger that rain would disrupt the Aug. 8 ceremony, officials said on Thursday.

Forecaster Expects Eight Atlantic Hurricanes This Year US: April 10, 2008 MIAMI - The noted Colorado State University hurricane research team predicted on Wednesday that 15 tropical storms would form during the coming Atlantic storm season, of which eight would strengthen into hurricanes. The team founded by forecasting pioneer Bill Gray increased its outlook by two tropical storms and one hurricane over its last outlook issued in December due to improved conditions for storm development, including warmer sea surface temperatures in the eastern Atlantic.