April 22, 2016 - EARTH - The following list constitutes the latest reports of high tides,
heavy rainfall, flash floods, widespread flooding, sea level rise and
catastrophic storms.
Over 10,000 remain displaced by floods as further heavy rainfall hits Uruguay
Over 10,000 people remain displaced by flooding currently affecting all 19 departments of Uruguay.
At least 10 people have died as a result of severe weather in
the country in the last 10 days. Five people died after a tornado hit
the town of Dolores. A further five victims have drowned in floods.
Yet more heavy rainfall over the last 2 days is likely to prevent people from returning to their homes for the next few days.
However, emergency authorities in Uruguay say the situation is under
control and victims are being provided with food and health care.
According to the latest reports from Uruguay emergency authorities ( Sistema Nacional de Emergencias - SINAE),10,097 people remain displaced by the flooding that has affected the country since 15 April 2016.
SINAE say thatroads and highways have been blocked in over 30 locations.The
departments with the highest numbers of displaced are Artigas (639),
Colonia (1,650), Durazno (2,179), Paysandú (1,411), San José (1,250) and
Treinta y Tres (1,695). Although areas around Montevideo have been
affected, SINAE say that no evacuations have taken place in the capital.
Montevideo Portal
Floodwater in Rocha, Uruguay. Melissa
The Uruguayan Institute of Meteorology (Institudo Uruguayo de
Meteorología, INUMET) issued further orange level (level 3 of 4)
rainfall warnings on 20 April.During the following 24 hours, at
least 10 locations reported over 80 mm of rain. After a short respite,
further heavy rain is expected from Saturday 23 April.
Despite the further heavy rainfall, SINAE say that the situation is
under control in all affected areas. Relevant government departments and
agencies are working together to ensure the health and safety of those
displaced, and to provide technical support and food items.
Rainfall figures
Figures for 24 hours between 20 and 21 April, according to INUMET
Artigas
Baltasar Brum - 100.0 mm
Cerro Largo
Laguna Merín - 95.0 mm
Salto
Belén - 115.0 mm
Termas de Arapey - 103.0 mm
San Antonio_Sl - 95.0 mm
P. de Valentín (Rincón) - 90.0 mm
Quintana - 82.0 mm
Palomas - 81.0 mm
Tacuarembó
Valle Edén - 87.0 mm
San Gregorio - 98.0 mm
When the severe weather first struck, as much as 180 mm in 24
hours was observed in Rocha, in the east of Uruguay, on the 16 April
2016. The same day 150 mm of rain in 24 hours was recorded at the San
José station and 140 mm in Florida, both of them in the south of the
country.
Rain forecast for Uruguay 23 to 24 April 2016. INUMET
Significant rain was also observed on Sunday 17 April 2016, with 121.5
mm in 24 hours recorded at Pasos de los Toros station in Tacuarembó
Department, in central Uruguay.
Further floods affect Luanda, Angola leaving 19 people dead, 800 families homeless
The recent flood situation in Luanda, Angola,
appears to have worsened and the latest report from the National
Service for Civil Protection and Fire (SNPCB) says that at least 19
people have died, 50 injured and four are reported as missing. Figures
are from preliminary damage assessments and authorities warned that
these numbers could increase.
The floods come just a the World
Health Organisation has confirmed that Angola is currently experiencing a
major outbreak of yellow fever, a disease spread by mosquitoes. Over
230 people have died since December 2015 in Angola, with 165 of the
deaths in Luanda alone.
Since
then ANGOP, the Angola news agency, quoting SNPCB officials, say that a
further people have died, more than 800 families are homeless and 20
homes have collapsed.
The worst affected municipalities are Viana,
Cacuaco, Belas, Cazenga and urban districts of Ingombota, Kilamba
Kiaxi, Rangel and Maianga.
The
World Health Organisation reports that Angola is currently suffering
from one of the worst outbreaks of yellow fever in decades. The recent
flooding may well create further breeding grounds for mosquitoes which
spread the disease.
“As
of 7 April 2016, a total of 1,708 suspected cases, including 238 deaths
(CFR: 13.9%), had been reported from 16 of the country’s 18 provinces.
Luanda remains the most affected province with 1,135 cases (405
confirmed), including 165 deaths (CFR: 14. 5%). The other most affected
provinces are Huambo (266 suspected cases, 37 deaths), Huila (95
suspected cases, 16 deaths) and Benguela (51 suspected cases, 0 deaths).
Between 6 and 7 April, 30 new suspected cases, including 4 deaths, were
reported across the country – 19 of these suspected cases and 2 of the
reported deaths came from Luanda.”
About Yellow Fever
Yellow
fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected
aedes and haemogogus mosquitoes. The “yellow” in the name refers to the
jaundice that affects some patients. Up to 50% of severely affected
persons without treatment will die from yellow fever.
According to
WHO, yellow fever can be prevented through vaccination and mosquito
control. The yellow fever vaccine is safe and affordable, and a single
dose provides life-long immunity against the disease.
Mosquito
control can also help to prevent yellow fever, and is vital in
situations where vaccination coverage is low or the vaccine is not
immediately available. Mosquito control includes eliminating sites where
mosquitoes can breed, and killing adult mosquitoes and larvae by using
insecticides in areas with high mosquito density. Community involvement
through activities such as cleaning household drains and covering water
containers where mosquitoes can breed is a very important and effective
way to control mosquitoes.
April 21, 2016 - EARTH - The following list constitutes the latest reports of high tides,
heavy rainfall, flash floods, widespread flooding, sea level rise and
catastrophic storms.
Floods in Léogâne, Haiti damage hundreds of homes
Torrential rain affected the Ouest Department of Haiti, causing the Rouyonne River to overflow in the city of Léogâne on 13 April, 2016. Léogâne is a city of around 120,000 inhabitants, situated to the west of Port-au-Prince, and known to be the epicentre of the catastrophic 2010 earthquake.
Flood in Léogâne
The heavy rain began to fall on 12 April, 2016, causing the overflow of the Rouyonne River in the morning of 13 April. The inundation affected several houses located on the riverbanks, causing damage to as many as 907 homes.
The violent and sudden flood caused significant losses in livestock and damage to plantations. According to local authorities, the silting of the river bed is thought to be one of the main cause of the flooding.
Several areas of Léogâne were affected, in particular Dampus, Kada, Pompée, Malbourg and Pont Vincent neighbourhoods.
According to local Civil Defence authorities, a bridge on the Rouyonne River needs urgent repair to avoid a possible collapse.
The Prime Minister, Enex Jean-Charles, expressed his government’s solidarity with the victims of the floods of Léogâne.
In a statement last week, he said that he had been informed of the flood situation in the affected areas and that the government has hastened to mobilize the relevant authorities to provide emergency and relief measures.
To cause further misery for communities in Léogâne, a fuel tanker was involved in a collision in the city and exploded into flames, setting more than 20 homes on fire, according to local media.
At least 9 people have died in floods in the Municipality of Cacuaco, in the north of Luanda, Angola, according to news agency ANGOP.
Quoting information from Cacuaco’s fire service, ANGOP say that two victims died in the Pescadores neighbourhood, and the several others were swept away by water when in the Pedreira neighbourhood. A search for the bodies is being carried out by fire service teams.
Rain and floods also affected the areas of Ceramica, Mateba, Paraiso and Augusto Ngangula. Homes, and transport infrastructure have all suffered damage.
Around 70 mm of rain was recorded in Luanda between 16 and 19 April 2016.
Elsewhere in Angola, authorities in Bié Province in central Angola, say that during the first four months of 2016, as many as 6,235 people were displaced by floods and heavy rain. ANGOP say that the information was released earlier this week by a spokesman for civil protection and fire department.
Some homes have been completely destroyed and families left homeless. Schools, hospitals and religious buildings have also been damaged. At least 7 people have been killed and 7 injured, either as a result of flooding or lightning strikes.
Tropical Cyclone Fantala brings heavy rainfall and flooding in coastal Kenya; 5 inches of rain in 4 hours
Tropical cyclone Fantala, the strongest on record in the Indian ocean, triggered spiralling winds that caused an insurgence of moist air from the Indian ocean to the adjacent coastlines of Kenya and eastern Tanzania.
Prolonged heavy rainfall occurred as a result, lasting days from Wednesday, 13 April to 18 April 2016. This near week-long rainfall event saturated soil that had been dry since the start of the year. As a result, several areas of coastal Kenya have suffered severe flooding.
At least 131mm of rainfall was recorded in Kwale on Friday, 15 April in 4 hours. Several villages were cut off from the rest of the country due to flooding after the River Umba, which flows from Tanzania, burst its banks.
According to Kenya Red Cross Regional Manager of Kwale County, many families suffered in the floods which caused widespread damage to property. Kenya Red Cross say several houses have been completely destroyed. The worst affected villages include Kiwegu, Bondeni, Mwarongo, Yogon and Matoroni. Many people have been displaced by the floods, although the exact figure is as yet unknown.
Several farms have been reported as flooded, with crops suffering damage or completely destroyed. The Kenya Red Cross estimates that at least 25,000 acres of land have been flooded.
In Mombasa city, roads were rendered impassable after heavy rains, and operations of Mombasa Port have been disrupted, according to Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
Warnings and Forecasts
Several weather forecast centres had predicted that the tropical cyclone Fantala would lead to intensified rainfall which would have devastating impacts.
Cumulative rainfall forecast for between 14 to 23 April 2016 . Image: ICPAC
A ten-day weather forecast by ICPAC showed a spiraling wind pattern at the Coast of Kenya, Tanzania and Somalia. These winds would lead to injection of most air to the land mass leading to heavy rainfall. The impact of this was likely to extend to Southern and Central Ethiopia. Presently, cyclone Fantala has receded farther from the coast and has led to occurrence of offshore winds that continue to deplete moisture from the coastal region and hence reduce the rainfall intensity.
Wind flow forecast for 14 to 23 April. Image: ICPAC
Should the cyclone’s trajectory change and it heads back to the coastline as had been forecast, its effects will soon be felt once more. The threat of further rainfall from cyclone Fantala comes just at a time when typical the seasonal rainfall for the coast is intensifies, leading to a number of floods that characterize coastal Kenya during March-April-May rainfall.
WATCH: 5 villages in Vanga marooned as heavy rain continues pounding the region.
March 9, 2016 - EARTH - The following list constitutes the latest reports of high tides, heavy rainfall, flash floods, widespread flooding, sea level rise and catastrophic storms.
2 Killed as Storms Hit U.S. South, Flood Emergency Declared in Louisiana After 335mm of Rain
A
slow moving storm dumped massive amounts of rain on parts of Louisiana
and eastern Texas from Tuesday 08 March. Some areas saw over 14 inches
(355 mm) of rain in 24 hours with more heavy rain forecast until Friday
11 March.
At least 2 deaths have been reported as a result of the
storm and floods, one in Dickinson Bayou, Texas, the other when a
vehicle was swept off the road in floodwaters in Bienville Parish,
Louisiana.
Louisiana
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency in 16 parishes in the northern part of the state.
In
a statement he said that Acadia, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne,
Desoto, East Carroll, Grant, Lincoln, Morehouse, Ouachita, Red River,
Richland, Union, Webster and West Carroll have declared or are in the
process of declaring states of emergency in order to assist residents in
areas damaged by the severe weather.
WATCH: Flash flooding swamps Louisiana.
National Weather Service Shreveport said:
“Very
heavy rainfall developed during the afternoon of Tuesday, and continued
through the overnight and into the daytime hours of Wednesday. Rainfall
amounts of over 14 inches were recorded in a few locations before the
rain ended. Many locations have experienced extreme flash flooding,
particularly across East Texas and Louisiana. Numerous roadways were
flooded and closed. Many schools across the area were closed. Numerous
high-water rescues were performed. Homes and businesses were evacuated
in many locations, particularly in Haughton and Minden, LA.”
In
Haughton around 100 homes were flooded in the Tall Timbers area. The
Shreveport Times says “residents were forced to flee when at least 5
feet of water inundated their homes.”
Bossier Parish was also one
of the hardest hit by floods. Over 100 roads have been closed in the
area and officials issued a mandatory evacuation order for residents of
3,500 homes.
A Bossier Sheriff spokesman said:
“We’ve had folks who had to be rescued off rooftops, people rescued from cars, clinging to trees.”
Texas
In
East Texas, the City of Kilgore has declared a state of emergency.
Flooding in the city has prompted evacuations and required several flood
rescues.
A disaster has also been declared in Gregg County.
County Judge Bill Stoudt says the county has suffered widespread or
severe damage resulting from flash flooding and substantial rainfall.
Several
homes have been reported as damaged by floods in Lake Mexia, south of
Dallas. Around 40 homes are flooded and 150 people have evacuated,
according to Limestone County Emergency Management Coordinator.
Rainfall Figures
Rainfall
figures according to NWS Shreveport. Figures in inches, for a 24 hour
period to early (between 07:00 and 09:00) 09 March 2016.
Taylortown, Bossier Parish, LA – 14.44
Sailes, Bienville Parish, LA – 11.50
Barksdale AFB, Bossier Parish, LA – 11.39
Jamestown, Bienville Parish, LA – 10.77
Homer RAWS Site, Claiborne Parish, LA – 10.25
1 mile N of Homer, Claiborne Parish, LA – 9.42
Arcadia, Bienville Parish, LA – 9.10
Swartz, Ouachita Parish, LA – 8.89
Longview, Gregg County, TX – 8.60
Monroe, Ouachita Parish, LA – 8.53
Southern Hills, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, LA – 8.03
4 NW Nesbitt, Harrison County, TX – 7.87
Marshall, Harrison County, TX – 7.38
Carthage, Panola County, TX – 7.06
Shreveport Regional Airport, Caddo Parish, LA – 6.33
24 hour rainfall levels for Louisiana and Texas. Image: NWS Shreveport
Further Heavy Rain Expected
Due
to the slow movement of the storm, heavy rain and thunderstorms will
continue to affect many of the same areas until Friday 11 March, NWS
said. Flash flood watches were in place for parts of Texas, Louisiana,
Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri and southern Illinois.
Red flood warnings in England, 10 March 2016. Image: Environment Agency
Strong winds, flash floods and torrential rain caused chaos for motorists and commuters in England yesterday, Wednesday 09 March, 2016.
Parts of central England were some of the worst affected by flooding. There were reports of cars submerged in flood water up to 1 metre deep in parts of Leicestershire and Warwickshire. Local media report that some motorists were stranded in their vehicles and required rescuing. Several schools were closed in Warwickshire.
Roads were blocked and rail transport severely disrupted, in particular between Rugby and Milton Keynes. A spokesman for train operator, London Midland, said: “Once the floodwater subsides we are still faced with trains and train crew out of place across the network.”
By the afternoon of 09 March, the Environment Agency had issued 43 flood warnings across England and Wales.
There are currently 55 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected and immediate action is required, mostly for parts of the Midlands. There are also 164 flood alerts, stretching across England to the south coast and parts of the South West. There are no severe flood warnings, meaning danger to life.
John Curtin, Interim Executive Director of Flood and Coastal Risk Management at the Environment Agency, said via Twitter that “the rain has cleared but we still have lots of water around,” and warned that rivers are still peaking.
Rainfall Figures
The Met Office said “Rainfall totals were in the order of 20-30mm with as much as 40mm possible once the rain clears later today. These figures are consistent with our forecasts and the severe weather warnings issued yesterday.”
Rainfall totals 10pm Tuesday 8 March to 10am Wednesday 9 March:
The storm was described as the #stormwithnoname by some on social media, with many expecting it to be named as with previous storms (the latest being storm Imogen (07 to 08 February 2016) and
Jake (01 to 02 March 2016).
The Met Office, together with Met Éireann started a pilot project “Name our Storms” during autumn last year to help raise awareness of severe weather.
The Met Office explained why this particular storm was left nameless. “Storms are named by the Met Office when medium or high impacts are forecast as a result of high winds. As this weather system was not expected to meet this criteria it was not named.”
A series of tropical disturbances will move across the Middle East this week, bringing heavy thunderstorms. This will lead to flash flooding across much of UAE, Iran and Oman.
Locally heavy downpours will develop over the next few days thereby
causing normally dry rivers to swell, inundating some roads. The maximum
threat of flooding will be from eastern Oman to southeastern Iran.
Eastern Oman cities like Muscat and Sohar
will be majorly affected by flash flooding this week. A low-pressure
system moving over Iran on Tuesday and Wednesday will lead to an
increase in thunderstorm activity and these are the days when the risk
of flooding will be the greatest. These severe thunderstorms will move
into southeast Iran as well and will affect areas from Bahl to Chabahar
and inland towards Zahedan.
In Dubai
also, rain will occur for several days this week. But the city will
escape the flood fury. Despite this, the downpours will lead to travel
disruptions. The people in the city have been warned not to drive on
flooded roads.
This series of showers and thunderstorms will move in a
northerly direction towards Afghanistan and Pakistan this week. While,
the flooding will not be as severe as to the south, the downpours could
lead to rivers overflowing. Isolated and spotty thunderstorms could
develop in and around Karachi this week.
The final low-pressure system is expected to leave the region later this
week and this will lead to decreased thunderstorm activity. Dry weather
is expected during the weekend.
6 Dead After Floods in Cuanza Sul Province in Angola, Death Toll Rises in Huíla Floods
Deadly floods have struck once again in Angola, this time in Cuanza Sul Province, just days after tragedy struck in the city of Lubango where flash floods killed 24 people and left many more missing.
Cuanza Sul Province
ANGOP, the government news agency in Angola, report that at least 6 people have died in floods in Cuanza Sul Province between 05 and 07 March 2016.
The fatalities occurred in Quissala and Bumba neighbourhoods of Sumbe Municipality, in the central Cuanza Sul Province. Four of the victims, all children, died after a house collapsed. A further 16 houses have also been destroyed in the floods. ANGOP report that 168 houses, a hospital and 3 schools have also been damaged.
Death Toll Rises in Lubango, Huíla
More bodies have been recovered by emergency workers in Lubango, Huíla, bringing the death toll to 29. Heavy rain fell for around 9 hours on Monday 29 February 2016. Local media report that two rivers – the Capitao and the Caculuvar – overflowed on 01 March, leaving a train of devastation.
A few days after the tragedy, the Archbishop of Lubango, Gabriel Mbilingui called on the that the Angolan government to prevent people building homes in risk areas to avoid losses in human life. He added that the state must strengthen awareness and dialogue showing the people the dangers of this kind of behaviour.
Speaking to ANGOP, the Archbishop said: “The government must stop construction in risk zones….Even if sometimes people do not know the danger of certain conditions, the competent authorities must always act since it is why they are there.”
Lunda Sul Province
Local media in Angola have also reported that floods and heavy rain since the start of the year have destroyed 308 homes in the municipalities of Cacolo, Dala and Saurimo, leaving at least 1,544 people homeless in he eastern province of Lunda Sul.
A further 59 homes have been damaged. Flooding has also caused damage to transport, bridges and schools.
Floods and Landslides Leave 2 Dead, 1 Missing, Hundreds Evacuated in Indonesia
Heavy rain continued affecting several areas of Indonesia over the last week. Media report that over 1,000 homes have suffered damage and hundreds of people have evacuated in parts of Jakarta. At least 2 people have died and 1 is missing after heavy rain triggered landslides in the Cianjur Regency of West Java province.
Jambi and South Kalimantan
Hundreds of houses have been flooded in Sarolangun Regency of Jambi, and Tanah Bumbu Regency, South Kalimantan, according to a spokesman from Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB).
West Java Landslides
Heavy rain has also affected areas of Lampung, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, West Java over the last few days.
Several landslides were reported in Cianjur Regency, West Java province. On 09 March, a landslide injured 11 people and damaged a hotel building in Cianjur town. The previous day landslides in the villages of Sukaresmi and Sukamahi left two people dead and one missing.
Jakarta Floods
BNPD said that heavy rain upstream in the Puncak areas, the mountainous region in West Java, caused levels of the Ciliwung River to rise quickly on Monday 07 March 2016. Several districts in East and South Jakarta were flooded as a result.
The Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency reported on Tuesday 08 March that floods were affecting 8,815 people from 2,507 households. Berita Jakarta reports that over 400 households were evacuated in Rawajati, South Jakarta.
Looking across the Bow River at the Calgary downtown core towards
Prince’s Island Park from Crescent Heights during the flood of June 21,
2013.
Photo credit: Wilson Hui, CC BY 2.0
The Canadian parliament anticipate that the effects of climate change will rocket over the next five years, costing over $900 million dollars per year.
Floods, hurricanes and storms are on in the increase, and the predicted cost is hugely over average budgets for such extreme weather in the past. Storms alone will cost the government $229 million per year, but flooding will be even more expensive at $673 per year over the next five years.
The report was released from the parliamentary budget office, and has pointed to global warming and climate change as a probable cause for the sharp increase in extreme weather and flooding of the Canadian prairies.
The report states that “the warming in the Arctic has been associated with persistent weather systems in the mid-latitudes as well as extreme weather events. Consistent with this, multiple-day rain events have significantly increased in the Prairie provinces and in the Rockies. The recent record setting multiple-day rainfalls in southeastern Saskatchewan in 2010 and 2014 are likely examples.”
The Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements is a government fund which will inject money into areas that are hit by flooding and extreme conditions. One of the contributing factors to the high outlays from flooding is a problem with insurance. Many Canadians living in at-risk areas cannot afford a decent insurance plan which will cover flood damage.
“In addition, the program’s design does not incentivize active flood damage mitigation in many of the affected areas. For example, over the past 10 years (2005-2014), Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta have accounted for 82 per cent of all DFAA weather event costs, almost all of which are a result of flooding, despite accounting for only 18% of Canada’s population.”
Another factor is the regulation of the floodplains in the region.
“Furthermore, Saskatchewan has unlicensed drainage of wetlands that increases peak flows during floods and Alberta appears to have inaccurate flood maps. Furthermore, in creating flood maps, Alberta does not take into account rising groundwater and debris floods on steep mountain creeks,” the report states.
But these increasing figures are not a new occurrence for the Canadian government. Natural disasters caused by extreme weather have been on the rise for the past twenty years, and therefore, so have the costs. The federal disaster fund increased from $54 million per year between 1970 and 1994, to $290 million between 1995 and 2004, and an incredible $410 million since 2005.
The sharp rise can be attributed to certain events which ended up being major Canadian disasters. Saskatchewan experienced a period of extremely heavy rain in 2014, Toronto suffered from an ice storm in December 2013, Alberta and British Columbia were hit by serious flooding in June 2013, and Manitoba’s Assiniboine River burst its banks in 2011. The reason these past events have such an impact on the predictions of the report is because actual transfer of funds to the areas hit may take up to eight years.
Extreme weather included in the report were hurricanes, convective storms and winter storms, but the most costly was that of flooding. The costs of all these disasters have had a significant effect on the government, and the report reflects the increase in events with an increase in cost.
More Floods Hit Sarawak, Malaysia After 93 mm of Rain in 24 Hours
In a seemingly endless wave of floods in Serawak, Malaysia, heavy rain has once again forced dozens from their homes, this time in Sarikei.
Malaysia disaster authorities report that around 34 people have been evacuated and are currently housed in a relief centre.
According to WMO figures, 93.2 mm of rain fell in 24 hours between 07 and 08 March in Sibu, Serawak.
Malaysian Meteorological Department have issued a warning for further heavy rain for several areas of Sarawak, including Mukah, Sibu, Sarikei, Betong, Sri Aman, Serian, Samarahan and Kuching. Fourth Flood Event Since Early February 2016
This is the fourth serious flood event to strike in the state since the start of February and the late onset of the rainy season.
A torrential downpour that began early on Saturday 27 February caused severe flooding in and some landslides in the district of Serian. Other areas affected included Padawan, Penrissen and Bau-Lundu. The state’s capital city, Kuching, was also badly affected, with some streets under 70 cm of water at the peak of the floods.
Flooding that began on 19 February affected as many as 10,000, according to Malaysian disaster management authorities, with around 7,000 evacuated at the peak of the floods. One man died when he was swept away by flood water near to a river in Kampung Maan in Padawan.
After heavy rain on 05 February, 1,361 people were evacuated in Sarawak, mostly from areas of Kuching.
#MetroFire on Sorrento Rd North of Elverta for car stuck in 3 ft of water. Driver rescued from roof, uninjured.
Twitter: MetroFire Sacramento
March 7, 2016 - EARTH - The following list constitutes the latest reports of high tides, heavy rainfall, flash floods, widespread flooding, sea level rise and catastrophic storms.
California Storm – Floods Leave 1 Dead, Dozens Evacuated
Saturday’s storm across parts of central and northern California caused flooding that forced dozens to evacuate their homes. At least one person has died in the floods.
The fatality occurred in Yuba County on Saturday 05 March, 2016, when a woman drowned after the vehicle she was in entered deep flood water. Local media report that s stretch of Highway 70 was flooded and had been blocked off by police. The driver of the car ignored the blockade and drove into flood water as deep as 8 feet (2.4 metres). The driver was able to escape from the car.
In Sacramento County, a man was rescued from his vehicle after driving into this water near Elverta on Sunday 06 March. The driver was able to escape and take refuge on the roof on the roof of his vehicle until responders from MetroFire Sacramento arrived.
The storm also drenched parts of Santa Cruz County with more than 6 inches (15 cm) of rain falling in some places on Saturday 05 March 2016. National Weather Service say that Boulder Creek Huckleberry recorded 6.70 inches (16.5 cm) during 24 hours. Nearly 2 inches (5 cm) of rain fell in 2 hours in Soquel.
The heavy rain caused local rivers, including Soquel and Corralitos Creeks and the San Lorenzo River, to rise above flood stage.
The resulting floods prompted evacuations of residents near the two creeks in Capitola and along the San Lorenzo River in rural Santa Cruz. The American Red Cross set up an evacuation centre in Capitola. There were no reports of injuries or fatalities.
Further Heavy Rain and High Surf
NWS said that further heavy rain was expected from late Sunday 06 March, falling on already saturated ground. NWS warned of possible flooding and rock slides.
“the next Pacific weather system will begin to spread widespread rain across the north bay by late this afternoon and then across the remainder of the region from this evening through the early morning hours of Monday.
“Rain will likely be heavy at times starting this evening. There is a possibility of isolated thunderstorms. Heavy rain late on Saturday has saturated the soil. Therefore additional heavy rain will lead to rapid rises on rivers and streams by this evening creating flooding potential. In addition, flooding of low lying and poorly drained urban areas will be possible. Rock slides or debris flows are likely in areas of steep terrain.”
NWS also warn of very large and potentially damaging surf and moderate coastal flooding on Monday into Tuesday morning.
The say that “a long period west swell will continue across the coastal waters through tonight. An even larger west swell will arrive on area beaches Monday through Tuesday morning, bringing potentially damaging surf, minor coastal flooding and significant beach erosion to west and north west facing beaches. This will be due to a combination of the large surf with large high tides”.
Serbia declares emergency following regional floods
Floods near the city of Cacak as seen on a YouTube video.
The authorities have declared an emergency situation in the Cacak,
Lucani and Arilje municipalities in central and eastern Serbia due to
heavy rain and flooding.
The Serbian Interior Ministry declared an emergency situation on Monday
in the flood-affected Cacak, Lucani and Arilje municipalities.
There were also landslides caused by the deluge in the Bajina Basta
municipality, where several homes were submerged and roads damaged.
In Preljine near Cacak, where about 80 millimetres of rain per square metre fell overnight,the
River Cemernica broke its banks, resulting in the evacuation of 15
people, Emergency Situations Sector chief Predrag Maric said.
Matic also said that water levels were rising in major rivers elsewhere
in Serbia, but that serious problems were not expected there.
"We contacted the Serbian Army to get involved, and prepared if necessary to evacuate people," he said.
A man walks in front of a his flooded home in Pozega, some 150 kilometers south of Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, March 7, 2016.
He said that the Kosjeric, Arilje and Cacak municipalities saw flash
flooding, but had been forewarned on Friday that this might happen.
The River Bjelica flooded and shut down the road from Lucani to Guca and the the road from Guca to Cacak.
Meanwhile in Guca itself, the Milan Blagojevic factory, the local
healthcare centre, a hospital, a school and the main power station were
all flooded.
In Pozega in western Serbia, heavy rain caused flooding from streams and
rivers, although the extent of the damage was not known on Monday
morning.
The Hydro-Meteorological Institute warned on Sunday evening that Serbia
could expect a further downpour ranging from 20 to 40 millimetres of
rain per square metre on Monday in southern, central, and eastern areas,
and that road traffic could be disrupted as a result.
In May 2014, the country was hit by series of floods affecting 39 out of
120 municipalities, forcing more than 30,000 people from their homes
and damaging or destroying roads, railways, bridges, homes, power plants
and telecommunications infrastructure.
WATCH: Floods in Serbia.
The floods came after heavy rainfall and a powerful cyclone that swept through the central part of the Balkan Peninsula.
Obrenovac, a small town south of Belgrade, suffered the most from the floods.
A damage assessment report adopted by the government in July 2014 put
the total cost of repairing the damage at about 1.5 billion euros.
This included the damage to homes, infrastructure, agriculture and educational and other facilities.
The authorities said 485 houses were completely destroyed by the deluge
and 12,000 hectares of land became usable for agricultural production in
the following season.
After Drought in Papua New Guinea, Floods, Mudslides Hit Thousands “On Razor’s Edge”
After months of food and water shortages caused by drought and frost, Papua New Guinea is suffering floods and mudslides affecting 2,000 people living on a “razor’s edge” after last year’s lack of rain.
The El Niño-driven drought last year cut food production and left about 480,000 people facing critical shortages and in need of food aid, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The floods and mudslides have affected about 300 people in Jiwaka province in the highlands, and 1,700 in Morobe province on the coast, said George Gigauri, the head of the International Organization for Migration in Papua New Guinea.
Despite the rains, people remain in need of assistance in the Pacific island nation of 7 million people who largely rely on what they grow in their backyard gardens and have little or no access to markets.
“The sweet potato takes six to nine months to grow. So even if they plant now, it takes time before they can harvest,” said Gigauri by telephone from Port Moresby. Agriculture on the island focuses heavily on tuber crops.
“If sweet potato is hit, then the whole village will be in trouble, and that’s what happened this time.”
The drought has also forced healthcare facilities to close or operate at reduced capacity because of lack of water, said Boris Pavlin, an epidemiologist for the World Health Organization (WHO) in Papua New Guinea.
Since the rains began, some of the health centres may have reopened, but many did not have good ways to store water in the first place, he said.
“They don’t use running water, or have to haul water in buckets when they have to do a (birth) delivery,” Pavlin said.
Aid agencies are coordinating with the government to distribute food and to monitor dengue outbreaks in Daru island off the southern coast near Australia, and probable cases in Kiunga in the west, near the Indonesian border.
The drought was caused by the El Niño weather system, which warms the Pacific Ocean and has caused extreme weather affecting millions of people across parts of the world.
“The rains are still insufficient and below expected levels. We’re by no means out of the woods in terms of the impact of El Niño,” Pavlin said.
“Many, many people are very affected because they live on the razor’s edge.”
Reporting by Alisa Tang, editing by Ros Russell, for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women’s rights, corruption and climate change.
Bolivia – Heavy Rain Continues – More Floods and Landslides Hit La Paz and Cochabamba
Heavy rain that began in late February has resulted in several overflowing rivers and landslides in northern and central Bolivia.
La Paz Department
As a result of the heavy and prolonged rainfall that has affected the north of La Paz Department since Monday 29 February 2016, several municipalities of Valles, Sur and Nor Yungas are suffering damages and transport communications issues after increased river levels in the region.
According to local authorities, the Quita Calzón River in Apolo municipality overflowed, affecting a significant part of the town and causing major damages to 30 houses. Several landslides interrupted the communication route connecting Apolo to the Titicaca Lake borders, causing issues to local public and private transport.
Intense rainfall events also occurred in the Eliodoro Camacho province of La Paz. Escoma, on Lake Titicaca, suffered the overflow of the Suches River on Sunday 28 February 2016. The inundation affected 70 hectares of agricultural cultivation, ruining the harvest and causing serious problems for an area characterised by subsistence farming.
File photo: Rio Suches, Camacho, Bolivia. Photo: Canaviri, under CC BY-SA 3.0
The prolonged rainfall continues to increase the soil saturation, leading to several hydro-geological problems. After the landslide in Jupapina of Saturday 27 February, another one occurred on Sunday 28 February in Achocalla Municipality, between La Paz and El Alto, affecting 3 houses.
The heavy rain of late February caused several rivers to significantly increase their levels in the north of Cochabamba Department.
According to departmental Civil Defence authorities of Cochabamba, rain caused major inundations in Puerto Villaro
el municipality in Carrasco Province, affecting up to 30 local communities, and a total of 600 families. Due to the flat morphology of the region, some areas are under 1 to 2 metres of flood water, and communication routes linking to these local communities are suffering major issues.
In Arani Province the recent torrential rain caused flooding in several areas, affecting as many as 500 families and seriously damaging 30 hectares of agriculture cultivations.
On 03 March, 2016, the National Service of Hydrology and Meteorology (Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología de Bolivia, SENAMHI) issued a red alert for intense rain (up to 90 mm in 24 hours) expected from Saturday 05 March to Monday 07 March 2016 in the north of Bolivia, including the areas in La Paz and Cochabamba Departments already affected by floods and landslides. Rainfall
NASA’s IMERG data collected from February 23-29, 2016 were used to estimate rainfall totals over this area of South America. The highest rainfall total estimates for this period were over 700 mm (27.6 inches). These extreme rainfall total estimates were shown east of the Andes in southeastern Peru and Bolivia.
Angola – 24 Dead, 30 Missing After Floods in Lubango, Huíla
At least 24 people have been killed and many more are missing after floods struck in city of Lubango, Huíla, in southern Angola.
Angola news agency ANGOP reports that heavy rain fell for around 9 hours on Monday 29 February 2016. Local media report that two rivers – the Capitao and the Caculuvar – overflowed.
The worst affected areas were the Tchioco and Canguinda districts of the city. It is thought that the flood water may have swept through a local market in Tchioco, where many young people work washing cars. Many of the victims are aged between 12 and 30, ANGOP report. Local emergency services said bodies were found up to 500 metres downstream.
The funerals of the victims took place yesterday. During the ceremony, retired archbishop of Lubango, Dom Zacarias Kamwenho, called for an end to building houses in risk areas. Lubango has been the site of several forced mass evictions to make way for public infrastructure projects. Families were left with no alternative housing, according to Human Rights Watch.
Further heavy rain fell on Tuesday, 01 March. The search continues for the 30 missing people.
March 3, 2016 - ANGOLA - At least 24 people have been killed and many more are missing after floods struck in city of Lubango, Huíla, in southern Angola.
Angola news agency ANGOP reports that heavy rain fell for around 9 hours
on Monday 29 February 2016. Local media report that two rivers - the
Capitao and the Caculuvar - overflowed.
The worst affected areas were the Tchioco and Canguinda districts of the
city. It is thought that the flood water may have swept through a local
market in Tchioco, where many young people work washing cars. Many of
the victims are aged between 12 and 30, ANGOP report. Local emergency
services said bodies were found up to 500 metres downstream.
The funerals of the victims took place yesterday. During the ceremony,
retired archbishop of Lubango, Dom Zacarias Kamwenho, called for an end
to building houses in risk areas.
Lubango has been the site of several
forced mass evictions to make way for public infrastructure projects.
Families were left with no alternative housing, according to Human Rights Watch.
WATCH: Floods in Angola.
Further heavy rain fell on Tuesday, 01 March. The search continues for the 30 missing people. - Floodlist.
A
yellow fever outbreak in Angola has killed 37 people since December,
the country's national director of health Adelaide de Carvalho. Picture:
AFP/ Luis Robayo
February 12, 2016 - ANGOLA - A yellow fever outbreak in Angola has killed 37 people since
December with eight new cases reported in the last 24 hours, the
country's national director of health Adelaide de Carvalho said late on
Wednesday.
The outbreak of yellow fever, which is transmitted by
mosquito bites, began in the Luanda suburb of Viana but has spread to
other areas of the southern African country with 191 people infected so
far.
De Carvalho said health officials were monitoring suburbs
around the capital of Luanda where infections have been worsened by
unsanitary conditions caused by a garbage collection backlog.
“Actions should be developed for the improvement of public sanitary and garbage collection,” de Carvalho said.
Symptoms
of yellow fever include sudden fever, severe headache, nausea, vomiting
and fatigue, according to the Centre for Disease Control and
Prevention. - IOL.
April 10, 2015 - ZAMBIA - A seven-seater fixed-wing South African-registered plane yesterday crashed in Mazabuka, killing all people on board.
Southern Province commissioner of police Mary Chikwanda said in an interview yesterday that the plane crashed around 13:00 hours at Ekushiya Farm belonging to commercial farmer Guy Robinson.
“We have only discovered one body at the scene of the accident. The body had no legs or hands and it was badly burnt.
“The plane has a South African flag but the registration number is not clear because I could only see the letters SH,” Ms Chikwanda said.
She said the plane was destined for Livingstone from Ndola en route to South Africa.
She said police suspect that the pilot was conducting an aerial mapping of the area before the plane crashed.
Ms Chikwanda said police are yet to establish the number of people on board the aircraft and their nationalities but she believes that they were all South Africans.
“We will have full details of the plane crash soon. Zambia Air Force officers went to the scene of the accident to carry out investigations and hopefully we will have all the nec-essary information,” Ms Chikwanda said.
Deputy Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Panji Kaunda expressed shock at the crash.
Col Kaunda rushed to the crash site in the company of senior government officials.
And Mr Robinson said he saw the plane crashing on his farm. - Zambia Daily Mail.
April 7, 2015 - EARTH - The following list constitutes the latest reports of high tides, heavy rainfall, flash floods, widespread flooding, sea level rise and catastrophic storms.
Kentucky Floods and Storms Leave 2 Dead, Governor Calls State of Emergency
Gov. Steve Beshear declared a statewide emergency on yesterday after
torrential rain and flash floods caused widespread damage across several
counties in Kentucky.
Declaring
a statewide emergency will allow local officials immediate access to
state resources to assist in public safety and recovery efforts.
Gov. Beshear said: “We
have reports of heavy damage in some areas of the state already, but
the threat of thunderstorms and further flooding has not cleared
Kentucky yet.
By declaring a state of emergency for the entire
state, we can deploy any needed state assistance, such as National Guard
troops, without delay.” Rainfall
National Weather Service
say that 5.64 inches (143 mm) of rain fell in Louisville on 03 April
2015. Lexington saw 5.17 inches (131mm) of rain fell.
2 day rainfall totals for Kentucky. Image: NWS
2 People Killed
Around
160 emergency rescues had to be carried out in Louisville alone. One
woman died after she was swept away in her car by flood water in Lee
County. Another woman died, it is believed, after she was hit by a
falling tree blown down by the storm at the Natural Bridge State Resort
Park.
The severe weather also affected other states on the south
of west. Thousands have been left without power in Kansas, where the
storms have left at least 6 people injured.
Adding to the sense of
Armageddon in Louisville, Kentucky, a huge fire at General Electric’s
Appliance Park broke out on 03 April 2015, billowing black smoke across
the sky while people waded through flood water 3 feet deep in the city’s
streets.
Powerful thunderstorm creates rivers of hail in St. Louis
A massive storm system rumbled across the Midwest on Tuesday, dumping large amounts of hail in a relatively short period of time. Many communities, particularly in St. Louis, were flooded with rivers of hail when drainage systems were unable to handle the amount of water.
WATCH: Rivers of hail flood St. Louis.
Floods in Baghlan, Afghanistan – At Least 5 Dead
Local and international news agencies are reporting that floods in the northern province of Baghlan, Afghanistan, have left at least 5 people dead, with some local reports saying the figure is as high as 17, with around 10 people injured.
Emergency teams, including police, are still carrying out rescues. Iran state news agency say that 200 houses have been destroyed. Associated Press have this figure at 400, and quoting local police, say that three districts of the province, including the capital Puli Khumri, have been affected.
File photo: Afghanistan flash floods. Photo Save the Children
AP also say that “The floods mark the start of Afghanistan’s annual flooding season as snow on northern mountain ranges melts. The situation worsens each year due to deforestation and environmental degradation”.
In February 2015, the country suffered widespread floods and landslides after heavy rain. Several provinces were affected, including Panjshir, Nangarhar, Laghman, Kapisa, Parwan, Nuristan and capital Kabul, and at least 230 people lost their lives.
Six dead in Haiti following heavy rains and severe flooding
Flooded streets of Cap-Haitian November 2014. Photo: Jean-Junior JOSEPH / Twitter
At least six people have died and several thousand homes flooded as
Haiti’s rainy season continues to bring suffering on the people of this
French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
The Directorate of Civil Protection and Interior Ministry said the rains have also resulted in 245 families being relocated and 8,379 homes being flooded as a result of overflowing rivers in recent days.
Three of the deaths occurred in Cite Soleil, a district of Port-au-Prince and three others in Delmas, and Carrefour.
Interior Minister Ariel Henry said the district of Grand Anse in the south is also worrisome because it has been raining since March 30. Resulting in more than 390 homes being flooded with 16 being totally destroyed,.
“We have taken steps to mobilize resources to help the affected populations,” Henry said, urging people residing in vulnerable areas to be vigilant to prevent other human and material losses.
The rains come at a time when Haiti is still dealing with the outbreak of Cholera that has resulted in 8,000 deaths and 750,000 cases since 2010.
Since December last year, 86 people are reported to have died from the disease which thrives in water.
5 Killed After Dams Overflow in South West Kenya
Local media in Kenya are reporting that 5 people have been killed in floods in Bondo Sub County, Siaya County, in south-west Kenya.
The
area has seen several days of rain. WMO report that 54mm of rain fell
in 24 hours on 29 March 2015 and 21 mm of rain fell on 01 April 2015.
According to Kenya’s Daily Nation,
the rain forced two dams in Miruka and Ochot to overflow, flooding
nearby villages, leaving at least 5 people dead and damaging crops,
houses, property and vehicles.
WATCH: 5 people feared dead in Bondo floods.
12,000 Evacuated after Floods in Hunan Province, China
File photo: flooded streets in China. Photo credit
State media have reported that heavy rainfall has caused floods in south central and eastern parts of China that have forced at least 12,000 people to evacuate their homes and affected around 240,000 people.
The
worst affected areas are the provinces of Hunan and Jiangxi. WMO say
that 220mm of rain fell in 24 hours in Yueyang City, Hunan Province, on
04 April 2015. Further heavy rain has been forecast.
Xinhua, the
Chinese News Agency, say that floods have caused damage in 52 towns and
villages in Hunan Province, and also damaged around 19,467 hectares of
crops. No fatalities have been reported. Dozens of towns have also been
affected by floods and heavy rain in Jiangxi province, although no
evacuations have been reported as yet.
Heavy Rainfall Expected in China, Taiwan and Japan
The
heavy rain fell in the wake of Super Typhoon Maysak, which despite
weakening, is expected to bring further heavy rain and thunderstorms to
China, Taiwan and Japan as it moves northwards.
According to Accuweather:
“The
heaviest and most widespread rain through Tuesday is expected to fall
in the interior of southeast China across the provinces of Guizhou,
Hunan, Hubei and eastern Sichuan. Heavy rain has already fallen in some
of these areas on Friday and Saturday with in excess of 100 mm (4
inches) of rain being recorded”.
Government Promises Help for Farmers After Devastating Floods That Killed Dozens
A delegation from Chile’s Ministry if Agriculture (MINAGRI), headed
by Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Furche, visited the flood affected
areas of Atacama earlier this week in order to assess the damage to
crops, land and the region’s farming infrastructure.
Copiapó
Valley is one of the farming areas affected by the floods in Atacama
Region. Much of the farming there is medium to small, mainly producing
tomatoes, watermelons, corn and lettuce. Crops, greenhouses and
irrigation structures have all been damaged or destroyed in the floods,
and with them the livelihoods of many of the local farmers.
Flood damaged greenhouses and crops in Copiapo Valley, Atacama, Chile. Photo: MINAGRI
Flood damaged farm land in Copiapo Valley, Atacama, Chile. Photo: MINAGRI
After
visiting the areas and seeing the destruction first hand, the Minister
of Agriculture promised financial aid of around $5 million US dollars to
rebuild canals, wells and other irrigation structures.
The
minister said, “Our top priority now is to restore irrigation channels
and infrastructure as soon as possible so we can then determine if crops
can be saved.” Soil Contamination
Another priority is to
test the soil for contamination. The minister said that local farmers
had expressed concern regarding the soil and earth that had been washed
onto their land by the floods.
Farmers will be involved in
collecting samples from their own land, which will then be sent to a
laboratory for testing by Chile’s Institute of Agricultural Research
(INIA).
Burundi Floods – Death Toll Now 20 as Rivers in Bujumbura Overflow
One of the landslides, near to the RN3 road. Photo: presidence.gov.bi
Since
then very little information has been available regarding the current
situation. However, a team from Caritas Burundi, part of the Caritas
Internationalis Catholic charity, was able to visit the affected area
recently.
In their report,
Caritas say that the death toll has since risen to at least 20 people.
They also say that the heavy rain has increased river levels in the
area.
“…witnesses note that the four rivers that cross the
communes of Bugarama Muhuta and in Bujumbura have burst their banks,
creating enormous material damage..”
As many as 700 houses have
been damaged or destroyed. Bridges, roads and crops have also been
damaged. However, a thorough assessment of the damage is yet to be
completed.
Work on clearing the landslide debris begins. Photo: presidence.gov.bi
President Visits Affected Areas
Burundian
President Pierre Nkurunziza visited the affected area on Monday 30
March 2015. During his visit he requested departments responsible to
make a complete assessment of the damage caused by the floods and
landslides in order to facilitate support to victims.
President Pierre Nkurunziza visits the flood affected area of Burundi, 30 March 2015. Photo: presidence.gov.bi
Blocked Roads a Major Concern
The
recent floods and landslides have blocked the major RN3 road in several
places which has affected traffic in the area heading to or from the
capital city.
In a statement made after the president’s visit, his office said that emergency work is underway to clear the RN3 road.
Work on the RN3 road after it was damaged by flooding and landslides. Photo: presidence.gov.bi
Iran Floods – 77 Injured in Qazvin Province
Over 70 people have been injured – 21 of them seriously – by a rainstorm and subsequent floods in north-west Iran.
According
to IRNA, the state sponsored news agency in Iran, the severe weather
struck on during the evening of 30 March 2015. The worst affected area
is Esfarvarin, a district with a population of around 28,000, located in
Takestan County, Qazvin province.
Iran Red Crescent Society said
that the floods in Esfarvarin left 77 people injured. At least 21 of the
injured needed to be hospitalised. The floods have destroyed houses and
infrastructure, and also disrupted water and power supply in the area.
Angola Floods – 1 Dead, 500 Homeless in Cuanza Sul
Local
media are reporting that heavy rainfall and floods from 28 to 29 March
2015 have caused serious damage and loss of life in the western province
of Cuanza Sul, Angola.
Quoting reports by the Civil Protection commission for the municipalities of Sumbe and Porto Amboim, ANGOP, the Angola News Agency, say that the heavy rain left one person dead, 3 injured, and around 150 homes destroyed.
Overall
the floods in Sumbe and Porto Amboim have affected 2,160 people, with
around 500 of those left homeless. Local authorities are relocating
those in affected areas. A temporary camp has been set up in nearby
Pomba Nova to safely house those displaced.
3 Deadly Floods in 4 Weeks in Angola
This is the third major flood event to hit Angola this year. On 12 March 2015, over 60 people died in floods in Lobito, which is about 180 km south of Sumbe.
Flooding has once again forced the closure of the Dalton Highway after it was briefly opened following the clearing of unprecedented levels of overflow.
The highway will remain closed though Monday as crews tackle further
complications from a storm that has created low visibility and prevented
crews from keeping up with the overflow on the road and snow drifts,
Alaska Department of Transportation spokeswoman Meadow Bailey said. A
35-mile section between mileposts 378 and 413 was closed.
Trucks use the highway to take supplies to North Slope oil fields, but the blockage essentially put a halt to those deliveries.
Unprecedented levels of overflow from the Sagavanirktok
River began flooding the highway last week. That made a portion of the
highway impassible and truck drivers trying to drive to and from Prudhoe
Bay had to wait as long as three days before proceeding, the Fairbanks
Daily News-Miner newspaper reported.
The closed stretch was reopened Thursday evening.
Bailey said crews were able to keep the highway somewhat passable
through most of Friday. But serious delays began again Saturday as more
water and ice reached the road.
"It's still a serious thing, and they're still trying to battle it," Bailey said.
The transportation department has dealt with overflow from the
Sagavanirktok River before, but never on a level near last week's
flooding, according to Bailey. Department hydrologists are assessing the
problem, but have not yet identified the cause, she said.
The department plans to make changes to the stretch of highway starting this summer and continuing through next year.
In work set to take place this summer, a portion of the road will be
raised by 7 feet at an estimated cost of $27 million. Next year, plans
call for another portion of the road to be raised at an estimated cost
of up to $50 million.
