** Please visit our website: http://www.africanassociation.org ** >From: "Ossia, Felix" <[log in to unmask]> >To: <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Surviving the harmattan Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2005 10:55:51 -0600 > >Surviving the harmattan >IN the past fortnight or so, a massive fluff of dust settled on the >country's skyline, causing a drastic change in weather, heralding intense >harmattan, with its peculiar characteristics and impact. Commercial >activities at the nation's airports virtually came to a halt. Maiduguri and >other northern cities are recording very poor visibility, forcing motorists >to put on headlamps at day-time to avoid accidents. >A wide range of small-scale business activities has also been affected. >Outdoor workers are hardest-hit. Harmattan weather makes people lethargic, >especially in the early morning hours. At night, doors and windows are >closed. People go to bed under layers of blankets. The chill, coupled with >longer nights experienced during this period, make people sleep more and >wake up late. Early morning commuters are battling to adjust to the sudden >change in weather. Workers are arriving late to their offices. >The onset of harmattan has also been accompanied by a number of health >conditions. Children and even adults are down with cough and catarrh due to >inhalation of dust. Asthmatic patients suffer more and visit hospitals >frequently. Petroleum jelly and menthol based ointments are in high demand >as persons have to worry about cracked lips and dry skin. Nursing mothers >are also having to pay more attention to their babies. As the cold causes >sweat to cease, body odour and heat rashes disappear. Minor injuries tend >to dry up. Mosquitoes disappear. A thin film of dust settles on furniture, >cars, and on every surface. Thus, Nigerians have been finding the >harmattan, rather challenging. >Harmattan is an air mass that originates from the Sahara desert due to >shift in the atmospheric high pressure belt. Occurring annually, it >coincides with temperate winter, in December and January. The air mass, >traditionally, called the North-East trade wind, affects the entire West >African sub-region, and dissipates into the Atlantic Ocean. The main >physical characteristics include chilly condition, poor visibility, low >temperatures, diffused radiation and low relative humidity. >Harmattan's impact on social and economic life is exacerbated by the >physical characteristics of the air mass. The severity of the weather >during this period, could be attributed to other global extraneous factors >like climate change or shift in ozone layer, induced by the effect of >indiscriminate human activities on the fragile ecosystem. >However, harmattan is not all about hardships. Agricultural activities >flourish during harmattan. Fruit trees like mangoes, pears, guava, among >others, blossom with flowers, which in turn result in abundant fruit >harvest. Farmers prepare their land for cultivation during this period. >But what is important, is that caution must be exercised during harmattan, >as it is associated with some dangers. Fire outbreak is rampant. >Consequently, families need to be cautious while farmers and hunters >setting bushes on fire should be careful to avoid wild fires which damage >the ecosystem. In Western countries, weather forecasts are given regularly >and the public is advised appropriately. >But sadly, this has not been the case in Nigeria, resulting in much >widespread confusion during harmattan. It is disturbing, for example, that >at least two ghastly accidents on the roads have been attributed to poor >visibility at this period. Early forecast of the weather is critical to >preparation and survival. It is unfortunate that every year, changes in the >weather occur, without any preparation on the part of the people. >The Nigerian Meteorological Service (NMS), should live up to its >responsibilities in this regard. The present level of forecasting is >definitely unsatisfactory. The only way to safeguard life and property >against any natural disaster is through early warning. Without early >warning, the people are at risk. The Meteorological Department, >universities, and airports, where changes in physical phenomena are >monitored should be fully equipped with modern facilities to perform their >duties effectively. The right calibre of manpower should be employed to man >the facilities for the benefit of the nation. The media also has a role to >play in providing useful information about changes in the weather. >Guardian Newspapers Limited > > _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, visit: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/aam.html AAM Website: http://www.africanassociation.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------------