November 19, 2014 - EARTH
- The following list constitutes the latest reports of high tides,
heavy rainfall, flash floods, widespread flooding, sea level rise and
catastrophic storms.
Southern Europe isn’t the only place currently experiencing storms and high levels of rainfall.
Torrential downpours have caused flooding across parts of Israel, the Palestinian territories and Lebanon. The latest spate of flooding comes less than 2 weeks after 3 people died and at least 60 were injured in flooding in Israel and Jordan in early November.
In a 24 hour period between 16 and 17 November, 73 mm of rain fell in Beirut. In Israel, Ben-Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, had 83mm between 15 and 16 November.
The storms have caused power outages across the region. Travel has also been left in chaos after roads, railways and airports were all badly hit by floods.
Once again the important road network leading to Beirut airport was flooded and blocked. These roads are notorious for flooding after heavy rain – they were flooded after floods in December 2013 in almost the exact same way.
Local media are reporting that accusations as to who is at fault are already flying and Lebanon’s judiciary are demanding the names of the public works contractors from Transportation Minister Ghazi Zeaiter.
In Israel, Tel Aviv, Bethlehem and parts of the West Bank, in particular Jericho, all saw some flooding. Although the severe weather is expected to cease in the next 24 hours, river levels in the region will remain high for several more days. Any further rain could bring more flooding.
Flooding in Albania has killed three people, after torrential rain caused power and water supply cuts in the western part of the country, authorities said Wednesday.
A 60-year-old man and his 26-year old daughter were found dead after their car was swept away by floodwaters in Lac, northwest of the capital, Tirana, late Tuesday. A 21-year-old motorcycle driver was also found dead in Lac, while his teenage passenger was rescued.
The heavy rainfall also flooded the main streets and buildings in Tirana and the western port city of Durres.
The government said the army was on standby to help emergency service workers with evacuation efforts, as more heavy rain was expected.
Agriculture Minister Edmond Planarity said the storm dumped 130 millimeters (5.1 inches) of rain in two hours overnight on the Lac and nearby Lezhe districts, causing power outages and flooding homes in those areas.
WATCH: Albania floods kill at least 3 people.
Albania Floods 2010
Albania saw some of its worst flooding during several periods of heavy rainfall between December 2009 and January 2010. The counties of Shkodra and Lezhë were once again among the worst affected. The county of Durrës was also badly hit.
Almost 10,000 hectares (25,000 acres) of land was
flooded, and over 5,000 people evacuated from their homes. The number
would have been higher but many refused to leave. Around 2,200 houses
were damaged by the flooding.
More severe weather has swept across parts of southern Europe over the last 4 days. France, Italy and Switzerland have all been badly affected. Floods and landslides have killed 9 people since Friday 14 November 2014.
The BBC reported earlier today that the region near to the Swiss / Italian border region has seen more rain in a few days than it would normally expect in a year.
Switzerland
Swiss authorities said two women, aged 34 and 38, had died when the mudslide hit the building in the village of Davesco-Soragno, near Lugano, Switzerland, on 16 November 2014.
Some of the heaviest rainfall was seen in parts of Ticino canton. Approx, where over 80 mm fell in 24 hours in Locarno between 15 and 16 November. Levels and flow of the Ticino river are dangerously high. This could spell further woes for parts of Italy since the Ticino is a tributary of the Po River, which is already seeing high levels.
Italy
In Italy, a 70-year old man and his 16-year-old granddaughter were killed when a mudslide engulfed their home in Cerro di Laveno in Italy on 16 November 2014
The Liguria region is, once again, one of the worst affected. Landslides have blocked roads and disrupted transport, while several rivers have burst their banks, inundating streets of the city of Genoa and nearby towns.
Elsewhere in Italy, levels of lakes Lugano and Maggiore are already dangerously high. Some lake-side villages have been cut off.
Emergency officials have warned of a “critical situation” in the North East, while damages have been estimated at more than €100 million.
Rainfall Levels during a 24 hour period, 15 to 16 November 2014
France
Five people have died in three separate accidents after their cars were swept away by floodwaters between 14 and 15 November 2014 in the southern French region of Le Gard.
On Friday evening, a mother and her 2 young children were killed after their car was swept off a bridge by floods near the Cevennes Mountains. The father managed to escape from the vehicle.
A man was found dead in his car in Peyremale, Le Gard region, early on Saturday morning, downstream from the bridge he had been crossing, according to local authorities. Another man was swept away while he was driving his car on the mountainside, Friday night in Lozère
Orange flood warnings (2nd highest) had been issued for four neighbouring departments of the Vaucluse, Bouches-du-Rhône, Var and Alpes-Maritimes, but not for Le Gard.
More Heavy Rain Expected
The heavy rain is expected to continue across the region. Severe weather alerts have been issued for Luganese and Mendrisiotto in Switzerland, with between 70 mm and 100 mm of rain expected today. High levels flood and severe weather warnings remain in place across much of northern Italy.
Several yellow flood alerts (low-level) remain in place across parts of France.
Serbia and Croatia
The severe weather appears to be moving eastwards and heavy rain has now affected parts of Serbia and Croatia. According to WMO figures, in the last 24 hours, 104.1 mm of rain fell in Loznica, Serbia, and 60.4 mm in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
- ABC News | Floodlist.
Floods Cause Travel Chaos in Israel and Lebanon
 |
| Flooded car park at Beirut airport, January 2013. Photo: A Karim Khalifeh |
Southern Europe isn’t the only place currently experiencing storms and high levels of rainfall.
Torrential downpours have caused flooding across parts of Israel, the Palestinian territories and Lebanon. The latest spate of flooding comes less than 2 weeks after 3 people died and at least 60 were injured in flooding in Israel and Jordan in early November.
In a 24 hour period between 16 and 17 November, 73 mm of rain fell in Beirut. In Israel, Ben-Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, had 83mm between 15 and 16 November.
The storms have caused power outages across the region. Travel has also been left in chaos after roads, railways and airports were all badly hit by floods.
Once again the important road network leading to Beirut airport was flooded and blocked. These roads are notorious for flooding after heavy rain – they were flooded after floods in December 2013 in almost the exact same way.
Local media are reporting that accusations as to who is at fault are already flying and Lebanon’s judiciary are demanding the names of the public works contractors from Transportation Minister Ghazi Zeaiter.
In Israel, Tel Aviv, Bethlehem and parts of the West Bank, in particular Jericho, all saw some flooding. Although the severe weather is expected to cease in the next 24 hours, river levels in the region will remain high for several more days. Any further rain could bring more flooding.
Floods kill 3 in Albania, over 5 inches of rainfall in 2 hours
Flooding in Albania has killed three people, after torrential rain caused power and water supply cuts in the western part of the country, authorities said Wednesday.
A 60-year-old man and his 26-year old daughter were found dead after their car was swept away by floodwaters in Lac, northwest of the capital, Tirana, late Tuesday. A 21-year-old motorcycle driver was also found dead in Lac, while his teenage passenger was rescued.
The heavy rainfall also flooded the main streets and buildings in Tirana and the western port city of Durres.
The government said the army was on standby to help emergency service workers with evacuation efforts, as more heavy rain was expected.
Agriculture Minister Edmond Planarity said the storm dumped 130 millimeters (5.1 inches) of rain in two hours overnight on the Lac and nearby Lezhe districts, causing power outages and flooding homes in those areas.
WATCH: Albania floods kill at least 3 people.
Albania Floods 2010
Albania saw some of its worst flooding during several periods of heavy rainfall between December 2009 and January 2010. The counties of Shkodra and Lezhë were once again among the worst affected. The county of Durrës was also badly hit.
 |
| Floods in Albania, 2010. Photo: Pooja Bryant |
Dead after Floods and Landslides in Southern Europe
 |
| File photo: Floods in norther Italy. Photo: Sirio Negri |
More severe weather has swept across parts of southern Europe over the last 4 days. France, Italy and Switzerland have all been badly affected. Floods and landslides have killed 9 people since Friday 14 November 2014.
The BBC reported earlier today that the region near to the Swiss / Italian border region has seen more rain in a few days than it would normally expect in a year.
Switzerland
Swiss authorities said two women, aged 34 and 38, had died when the mudslide hit the building in the village of Davesco-Soragno, near Lugano, Switzerland, on 16 November 2014.
Some of the heaviest rainfall was seen in parts of Ticino canton. Approx, where over 80 mm fell in 24 hours in Locarno between 15 and 16 November. Levels and flow of the Ticino river are dangerously high. This could spell further woes for parts of Italy since the Ticino is a tributary of the Po River, which is already seeing high levels.
Italy
In Italy, a 70-year old man and his 16-year-old granddaughter were killed when a mudslide engulfed their home in Cerro di Laveno in Italy on 16 November 2014
The Liguria region is, once again, one of the worst affected. Landslides have blocked roads and disrupted transport, while several rivers have burst their banks, inundating streets of the city of Genoa and nearby towns.
Elsewhere in Italy, levels of lakes Lugano and Maggiore are already dangerously high. Some lake-side villages have been cut off.
Emergency officials have warned of a “critical situation” in the North East, while damages have been estimated at more than €100 million.
Rainfall Levels during a 24 hour period, 15 to 16 November 2014
- 102.4 mm in Milan
- 159.4 mm in Genoa
France
Five people have died in three separate accidents after their cars were swept away by floodwaters between 14 and 15 November 2014 in the southern French region of Le Gard.
On Friday evening, a mother and her 2 young children were killed after their car was swept off a bridge by floods near the Cevennes Mountains. The father managed to escape from the vehicle.
A man was found dead in his car in Peyremale, Le Gard region, early on Saturday morning, downstream from the bridge he had been crossing, according to local authorities. Another man was swept away while he was driving his car on the mountainside, Friday night in Lozère
Orange flood warnings (2nd highest) had been issued for four neighbouring departments of the Vaucluse, Bouches-du-Rhône, Var and Alpes-Maritimes, but not for Le Gard.
More Heavy Rain Expected
The heavy rain is expected to continue across the region. Severe weather alerts have been issued for Luganese and Mendrisiotto in Switzerland, with between 70 mm and 100 mm of rain expected today. High levels flood and severe weather warnings remain in place across much of northern Italy.
Several yellow flood alerts (low-level) remain in place across parts of France.
Serbia and Croatia
The severe weather appears to be moving eastwards and heavy rain has now affected parts of Serbia and Croatia. According to WMO figures, in the last 24 hours, 104.1 mm of rain fell in Loznica, Serbia, and 60.4 mm in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
- ABC News | Floodlist.
