71.   The economic downturn has only aggravated the situation.

72.   The flood situation was further aggravated when the government Friday ordered the release of water from two dams following a sharp rise in the water level in the reservoirs.

73.   The Foreign Ministry refused to comment, and the official said this was to avoid aggravating the situation.

74.   The situation is further aggravated by at least three months without rain.

75.   The situation was aggravated as some traders changed dollars for marks to take advantage of a rise in the German currency, particularly against the Spanish peseta.

76.   The situation was aggravated by an eight-day-old strike of heat and power station repair workers in Vladivostok who are demanding back wages, Interfax said.

77.   The prevalent drought in the region has also aggravated the situation, Sakorn said.

78.   The situation is aggravated by the brain drain of young scientists to other developed countries.

79.   The situation has been aggravated by a flow of refugees from Rwanda, many of them Hutus believed to have been involved in the massacres in that country.

80.   The situation was aggravated by the El Nio weather phenomenon which helped delay the monsoon.