11.   So far, North America appears to have escaped the outbreak that is raging across Europe, leaving piles of burning animal carcasses in its wake.

12.   Slaughtering all pigs in some areas, then burning their carcasses, also may take place, he said.

13.   The drowned livestock posed a disease threat that officials hoped to reduce by burning the carcasses in industrial incinerators -- an operation that began Wednesday.

14.   Contaminated carcasses were systematically burned.

15.   Meanwhile veterinary services in Piedmont mobilised to recover and burn the carcasses of tens of thousands of cattle that died in the floods.