DUST CLOUD CHOKES EASTERN AUSTRALIA

A DUST STORM BLACKED OUT SYDNEY WHILE
AUSTRALIA IS BATTLING ONE OF ITS WORST DROUGHTS

SYDNEY (Reuters) – A huge outback dust storm swept eastern Australia and blanketed Sydney on Wednesday, disrupting transport, forcing people indoors and stripping thousands of tonnes of valuable farmland topsoil. The dust blacked out the outback town of Broken Hill on Tuesday, forcing a zinc mine to shut down, and swept 1,167 km (725 miles) east to shroud Sydney in a red glow on Wednesday. By noon on Wednesday the storm, carrying an estimated 5 million tonnes of dust, had spread to the southern part of Australia's tropical state of Queensland.

Australia is battling one of its worst droughts and is one of the most vulnerable nations to climate change, but also the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter per capita as it relies on coal-fired power stations for the bulk of its electricity. Scientists are reluctant to directly link climate change with extreme weather events such as storms and drought, saying these fluctuate according to atmospheric conditions, but green groups link the two in their calls for action. Health authorities urged people to stay indoors to avoid breathing difficulties, warning the storm was likely to continue into Thursday.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Our only refuge in this scorching fire of material existence is Supreme Lord Nandanandana Sri Krishna . We are deluded to think that we are ever safe without Him. Simply by trusting Him, as demonstrated by the cowherd boys' shutting their eyes to imminent danger, His devotees are rescued from the relentless flames of the mundane world.

Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja:
"Golden Sayings: 1/20" - Jun 7, 2002.