DELUGE: Heavy Rainfall In Central And Southern Peru - 1 Person Killed, Another Missing; Numerous Landslides; Damage To Roads, Bridges And Hundreds Of Houses!

Heavy rains continued to hit Peru on Thursday, causing severe flooding and landslides. Since December,
thousands have been affected by strong rains across the country, according to local media.

February 28, 2016 - PERU - Parts of central and southern Peru have seen heavy rainfall since mid February 2016. The regions of Puno, Areuipa, Cusco and Junín have all been affected.

The severe weather has caused numerous landslides and the flooding of several rivers including the Ramís, Sullca, Urubamba and Coschireni. Roads, bridges and hundreds of houses have been damaged. At least person has been killed and another is missing.

Peru’s National Service of Hydrology and Meteorology (Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología de Peru, SENAMHI), issued a level 3 Meteorological Alert on 22 February, warning that intense rain can be expected until 25 February.

Puno Region
Carabaya Province, in the North of Puno Region in southern Peru suffered torrential rains that caused a landslide in Usicayos on 20 February 2016, affecting almost 1 km of transport routes. A second landslide in the same area was reported on the 21 February 2016. At least one person is reported dead and another is still missing as a result.

Sandia, San Antonio de Putina and Azángaro Provinces were also affected by the heavy rains that caused river overflow. Damages to houses, agricultural cultivation and the collapse of a bridge have also been reported.

Infrared image of Peru rainfall for 23 February, 2016. Image: SENAMHI

As a result of the intense rain in the region, Peru’s National Institute of Civil Defence (Instituto Nacional de Defensa Civil, INDECI) issued a warning for the increasing water level (up to red alert level) in the upper watershed of the Ramís River.

Arequipa Region
Heavy rain was been reported on 22 February 2016 in Arequipa Province, in the region of the same name, in southern Peru.

Several districts of Arequipa Province, including Cerro Colorado, Yanahuara, Alto Selva Alegre, La Joya, Miraflores and Mariano Melgar, suffered damages to homes, transport routes and public utilities. As many as 813 houses have been affected by the impact of the intense rain event. At least 8 of these houses have totally collapsed, displacing several families. According to INDECI, a health centre and two public buildings have also been affected and suffered damages.

Cusco Region
Severe rainfall events affected the Cusco Region, in central Peru. During the morning of 23 February, 2016, the village of Kiteni, in La Convención Province, suffered flooding due to the overflow of the Urubamba and Coschireni Rivers, caused by 8 hours of continuous rain in the upstream watershed.

According to INDECI, 118 families (out of a total of 250 families in the village) have been made homeless after their houses were completely destroyed by the floods and rain. INDECI say that all of the displaced families have been relocated to safe areas.

https://t.co/K3qJdMBulE Senamhi Puno declaró alerta naranja en la región pic.twitter.com/XIBSSNhqEI

— Pachamama Radio (@PachamamaRadio) February 24, 2016

Intensas lluvias/nevadas con descargas eléctricas en cordillera #Arequipa. Más lluvia sobre la ciudad. #Satélite 4PM pic.twitter.com/RLdO7joXyA

— Abraham Levy (@hombredeltiempo) February 23, 2016

FOTOS. Lluvia de 10 horas y apagón afectaron la ciudad de Arequipa https://t.co/FiQKG7vxjS #Arequipa vía @elbuho_pe pic.twitter.com/X5GZbDc3pX

— El Búho (@elbuho_pe) February 23, 2016

VIDEO. Director regional del Senamhi: “Lluvias continuarán hasta marzo” https://t.co/G222fPYGGA #Arequipa pic.twitter.com/ZIYVCHeu3e

— El Búho (@elbuho_pe) February 22, 2016

A landslide caused by these intense rains interrupted the transport communication route between Cuzco and La Convención, causing problems for public and private transport.

INDECI also reported the overflow of the Sullca River between 21 and 23 February, which caused damage to houses and agriculture in Sullca and Chectuyoc villages, Chancis Province. According to local civil defence, 1 house suffered major damage forcing people to evacuate, while 7 other houses have been affected.

Junín Region
Earlier this month, on 16 February 2016, heavy rainfall triggered landslides and flooding in the district of Pampa Hermosa, Satipo Province, Junín region, damaging homes, roads, crops, schools and health facilities.

The towns of San Dionisio, Santa Viviana Baja, Santa Rosita, Santa Ana, Unión Progreso Ancayo, Monte Olivo and San Francisco de Panamá have all been affected, according to INDECI. Over 30 homes have been destroyed and 226 people displaced. 

WATCH: Severe floods and mudslides in Peru.

- Floodlist.

DELUGE: Widespread Flooding In Jakarta, Indonesia - Roads Blocked, Traffic Problems And Some Damage To Buildings!

Flooding in the streets of Jakarta, 26 February 2016.© BPBD

February 26, 2016 - JAKARTA, INDONESIA - In Indonesia, Jakarta's Disaster Management Agency, BPBD, reported earlier today that heavy rainfall in Greater Jakarta and the surrounding areas has caused flooding across several parts of the city, causing traffic problems and some damage to buildings.

BPBD say that most of the rain fell in just one hour during the evening of 25 February 2016. In East Jakarta, the rain left flood water up to 90cm. BPBD say that around 40 people have been evacuated from their homes in Cakung.

Flooding has also been reported in areas of West and South Jakarta, and also in North Jakarta, in particular Kelapa Gading and Cilincing.

BPBD Jakarta carry out damage assessments after flooding, 26 February 2016. © BPBD

Flooding in the streets of Jakarta, 26 February 2016.© BPBD

Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, Dan Geofisika - BMKG) has predicted further rain over the weekend for Greater Jakarta, surrounding areas and across many parts of Indonesia.

According to figures from WMO, Soekarno - Hatta International Airport recorded 119 mm of rain in a 24 hour period between 25 and 26 February 2016.

During the same period, Tanjung Priok saw 59 mm, Jakarta Observatory 89 mm and Serang in Banten province, about 70 km west of the capital, recorded 90 mm. - Floodlist.

DELUGE: Torrential Rainstorm Hit La Paz, Bolivia - Causes Flash Flooding Inundating Roads And Bridges; Red Alert Issued For The Ichilo River! [VIDEOS]

Bridge topped by the flash flood in La Paz, Bolivia. © Andrea Innocenti

February 25, 2016 - BOLIVIA - Intense rain and increasing river levels have been reported in Bolivia since 23 February, 2016. So far Bolivia's rainy season, under the influence of this year's strong El-Niño, has mostly been characterised by drought rather than floods.

La Paz

A torrential rainstorm hit the city of La Paz on the 24 February 2016, causing a flash flood resulting in the overflow of the Huayñajahuira River, a tributary of the Choqueyapu River. Starting at 17:00, intense rain affected the upper part of the urban watershed of Choqueyapu River, with no rain observed in the southern part of the city, where the flood occurred.

Video below courtesy of Andrea Innocenti:


WATCH: Flash flooding in Bolivia.

Several roads and bridges were quickly inundated in the Zona Sur, and the Costanera Avenue, the main road linking the city centre and the south district of La Paz, was closed causing issues to local transport.

Bermejo and Ichilo Rivers

On 23 February, 2016, the Municipal Emergency Centre for Operations (Centro de Operaciones de Emergencia Municipal - COE) of the city of Bermejo, in Tarija Department, declared a red alert for the increasing levels of the Bermejo River.

On the 24 February the National Service of Hydrology and Meteorology (Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología de Bolivia, SENAMHI) issued a red alert for the increasing levels of the Ichilo River - a tributary of the Mamoré River - in Puerto Villaroel, Cochabamba Department. - Floodlist.

DELUGE: "I Don't Understand Why This Happened To Us,... There Was More Rain Than Normal,..." - Flash Floods Hit Eastern Israel, Forcing The Closure Of Several Schools And Road! [VIDEO]

Flooding in the Bedouin town of Um Namila, near Rahat in the Negev on Monday, February, 22, 2016© Akil al Ziadneh/Albayan

February 22, 2016 - ISRAEL - Flash floods hit eastern Israel as temperatures drop throughout country; warmer days expected later in the week

Several Israeli schools and roads were closed Monday due to flooding as rain and wind bashed the country after a week of unseasonably high temperatures.

Flash floods in the area of Ein Gedi in eastern Israel prompted school closures in the area. On Mount Hermon, heavy snow and wind led operators to close the ski resort.

A group of 10 hikers who were stranded due to the inclement weather in the Negev, next to the Ramon Crater in southern Israel, were rescued. A search and rescue unit was called to the area and safely brought the hikers out using jeeps, reports said.

The southern city of Sderot also experienced flooding, as well as many Bedouin areas of the Negev.


WATCH: Heavy rainfall and widespread flooding in Israel.

"I don't understand why this happened to us. The last time, the municipality told us that [there was flooding] because there was more rain than normal, and therefore the drainage system couldn't handle it," a Sderot shop owner told the Ynet news site.

"But what happened this time? There was a normal amount of rain, and here we are, again with flooding, even worse than the last time."

The rain is expected to last until Tuesday in most of the country, with sunny skies set to return on Wednesday, the Israel Meteorological Society said.

The Sea of Galilee rose 1.5 centimeters (0.6 inches) from the rainfall, an improvement for the body of water, which is at risk of being depleted.

With the wind and precipitation, cold has also moved back into Israeli cities. Jerusalem was predicted to experience lows of approximately 42°F (6°C) and highs of 54°F (12°C) on Monday. Tel Aviv will feature slightly higher temperatures, with lows of 52°F (11°C) and highs of 63°F (17°C). Beersheba will see a high of 63°F (17°C) and a low of 48°F (9°C), according to the IMS.

Similar temperatures are predicted for Tuesday, but they should increase later in the week, when sunshine returns, according to IMS data.

Haifa and other northern coastal cities were predicted to have gusts of wind of up to nearly 30 miles per hour, according to the IMS. Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Beersheba, meanwhile, can expect easterly gusts of nearly 25 miles per hour. - Times of Israel.

DELUGE: Torrential Rainfall Hits Northern Morocco - Causes Widespread Flooding And Major Traffic Disruption! [PHOTOS + VIDEOS]

Floods in Morocco. © Stoplydec

February 21, 2016 - UNITED STATES - Torrential rainfall between Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 February caused flooding in areas of northern Morocco, in particular in the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, including the provinces of Tetouan and Chefchaouen.

In the harbour city of Larache, Larache province, 99 mm of rainfall was recorded in 24 hours between 20 and 21 February.

In Tangier, around 29 mm of rain fell in 24 hours to 21 February.

The city of Tetouan recorded 22.1 mm in 24 hours on 20 February and 25.9 mm the next day.

Roads were blocked and the flooding caused major traffic disruption.

Residents criticised the city's drainage system for its inability to cope. Some damage to buildings was also reported in both provinces of Tetouan and Chefchaouen.


WATCH: Floods in Morocco.

There are also unconfirmed reports that a woman drowned in a remote area of Tetouan province after a group she was travelling with became trapped by the flood water.  - Floodlist.

DELUGE: Widespread Flooding And Infrastructure Collapse In Argentina - Flooding Emergency Declared In 6 Key Farming Provinces!

The resolution, announced in the government's morning gazette, covers the provinces of Cordoba, Santa Fe, Entre Rios, Chaco, La Rioja and Corrientes.
Argentina's top grains producing province of Buenos Aires was not included in the emergency, but floods

February 19, 2016 - ARGENTINA - Six of Argentina's main farm provinces were declared flood emergency areas by the government on Friday, making special credit lines and tax breaks available to affected growers in the soy and corn exporting powerhouse.

The resolution, announced in the government's morning gazette, covers the provinces of Cordoba, Santa Fe, Entre Rios, Chaco, La Rioja and Corrientes.

Argentina's top grains producing province of Buenos Aires was not included in the emergency, but floods were reported there as well.

This year's El Niño weather pattern, which causes global climate extremes, has worsened floods in some parts of South America, including Argentina. In other areas, such as Colombia, it has brought drought.

Argentina is the world's top supplier of soymeal livestock feed, third biggest supplier of raw soybeans and No. 4 corn exporter.

Fruit growers and cattle ranchers were also covered by the emergency resolution.

Meteorologist Anthony Deane of consultancy Weather Wise Argentina said key grains production areas in southeast Cordoba, southern Santa Fe and northwest Buenos Aires are suffering from too much ground moisture to outright flooding.

"The question is how much rain is going to keep falling," Deane said. "I expect 100 to 130 millimeters (3.94 inches to 5.12 inches) to fall over the next ten days in these three areas, which is more than what has been the normal rate over the last five years. So the situation is going to get worse before it gets better." - Yahoo.

EXTREME WEATHER: Rain, Hail, Floods And Fog - Images Of Wild Weather In The United Arab Emirates! [PHOTOS + VIDEOS]

A man wades through a flooded street in Fujairah. © Mohideen / Al Ittihad

February 19, 2016 - UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Here are several images of wild weather recently witnessed in the United Arab Emirates.

Workers pump away floodwater after the rainstorm in Qirfa, Fujairah.
© Mohideen / Al Ittihad

Men look out towards a flooded street in Qirfa.
© Mohideen / Al Ittihad

A street floods in Al Barsha near Mall of the Emirates in Dubai.
© Antonie Robertson / The National

Cars parked outside a villa in Fujairah.

A general view of the empty Centre Court during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis WTA Championships in Dubai.
© Ali Haider / EPA

Hail falls down on Centre Court.
© Francois Nel / Getty Images

Buildings are partially obscured in the Dubai Marina as the sun starts to burn the morning fog away. © Antonie Robertson / The National

A thunderstorm passes over the Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Lake Towers neighborhoods of Dubai.
© Jon Gambrell / AP Photo

A flooded street in Al Barsha near Mall Of The Emirates in Dubai.
© Antonie Robertson / The National

WATCH: Hail storm in Dubai.

- The National (UAE).

DELUGE: Widespread Flooding And Infrastructure Collapse In Cordoba, Argentina - 4 People Killed; HUNDREDS Of Homes Damaged; Disruption Of Power And Transport Systems! [PHOTOS + VIDEO]

Flooding in Cordoba, Argentina. © Cadena 3 Argentina

February 18, 2016 - CORDOBA, ARGENTINA - The night of 15 February 2016 saw an intense rainstorm over the city of Córdoba, Argentina, causing 4 causalities. At least two of the deaths were a result of flooding.

Storm - 70 mm of rain, 140 km/h winds

According to the Observatory of Cordoba of the Argentinian National Meteorological Service (Servicio Meteorológico Nacional - Observatorio de Córdoba, SMN), more than 70 mm of rain was recorded in Córdoba during the torrential storm which started at 20.10 and lasted a few hours. Moreover, the city was affected by hail and strong winds as high as 110 km/h, and gusts up to 140 km/h.

Cordoba Province, especially Sierras Chicas 30 km North-West of Córdoba, was affected by a similar intense event a year ago, 15 February 2015. More than 1,000 people were displaced from their houses, and 9 causalities were reported after the storm last year.

Several provinces of Argentina, including Entre Ríos, Chaco, Corrientes and Formosa, are still recovering from floods caused by overflowing rivers that began in late December 2015 and continued into January 2016.

Damages in Córdoba - 4 dead, 100s of homes flooded

Several areas of the of the city of Córdoba were badly affected, including Villa Richardson, Central America and parts of the North and West neighbourhoods, where there were hundreds of houses flooded. The Municipal Civil Defense reported that several families were evacuated from Villa El Chaparral and from the West sectors.

The Provincial Energy Enterprise of Córdoba (Empresa Provincial de Energía de Córdoba, EPEC) said the storm caused the outage of 4 transformer stations, failure of several medium voltage distributors and falling trees on airlines.

The storm disrupted the city's transport system, with several roads inundated due to rainwater drainage system being overwhelmed. Several vehicles were stranded in flood water.


WATCH: Flooding in Cordoba.

As of late yesterday, 16 February 2016, local media reported that there had been 4 casualties. A motorcyclist died when he was dragged by a strong current on the road, and a man, believed to be a security guard, drowned when he was swept away by floodwater. The other two victims, which included a young child, are reported to have died as a result of wind and storm damage.

On the 15 February the SMN emitted a short notice weather alert for severe storms. Preparedness and risk knowledge during intense and abrupt events with short alert time available remains crucial in preventing disasters. - Floodlist.

DELUGE: Widespread Flooding And Landslides In Papua New Guinea - Several Deaths Reported; 200 Homes Destroyed; Bridges Swept Away!

In Papua New Guinea’s North Coast and Islands regions, coastal flooding is the most important climate change-related hazard. It threatens both coastal
populations and important economic centers, including provincial capitals and economic. Image: UNDP

February 16, 2016 - PAPUA NEW GUINEA - At least six people in Papua New Guinea are reported to have died as a result of landslides and flooding caused by heavy rains in recent weeks.

The Post Courier newspaper has reported deaths in Chimbu and the Western Highlands.

It reported 200 homes have been destroyed, and bridges have been swept away in Oro and West New Britain provinces.

World Vision PNG response manager Bonie Belonio said disaster authorities and humanitarian organisations were scrambling to assess the extent of the damage so distribution of relief supplies could begin.

He said he believed the rains may have taken many people by surprise after the long drought.

"We are completing the assessment stage and moving into a distribution of water containers, water purification tablets because I think that is what is needed at this point in time and then do a quick awareness raising and education to really ensure that the water that they drink are purified and treated." - FBC.

DELUGE: Widespread Flooding Hits Dominican Republic And Haiti - Following 8 Inches Of Rainfall In Just 24 Hours! [PHOTOS]

February 13, 2016 - HISPANIOLA - Heavy rain affected the northern part of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola between 09 and 11 February 2016, resulting in flooding in parts of both Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Dominican Republic
After a long period of intense drought, Puerto Plata Province on the northern coast of Dominican Republic saw 216 mm of rain in 24 hours in Puerto Plata station, between 10 and 11 February 2016.

According to local media, the San Marcos River and the Camú River overflowed, causing flooding in the municipalities of Puerto Plata, Montellano and Villa Isabela. Several houses are reported to be affected by local inundations in La Sabana, Las Cruces de Martín Alonso, Tasajera, Estrecho Abajo, El Estrecho, Ranchito de los Vargas communities.

The country's Operational Centre for Emergencies (Centro de Operaciones de Emergencias - COE) declared, on 11 February, an alert for possible flash-floods and landslides in the Puerto Plata, Montecristi, Dajabon, Santiago Rodríguez and Valverde Provinces.

As many as 15,000 people were evacuated after severe floods struck in the Dominican Republic in February 2015.

Haiti
The northern coast of Haiti has also been affected by heavy and prolonged rainfall which occurred between 9 to 11 February 2016.

According to local news the Civil Defence declared red alert (highest level) in North Haiti for possible flooding and landslide caused by the rain.

Major cities including Port-de-Paix and Cap-Haïtien have been affected by the severe weather and more than 200 houses have been damaged, forcing families to leave their home. Several neighbourhoods of Cap-Haïtien, including Carénage, Cité Lescot, Sainte Philomène and Charrier, suffered flooding on the 11 February.

Flooding blocked roads and caused traffic problems. The heavy rain also caused a mudslide which blocked the main road in the district of Bel-Air, according to local media.

Cap-Haïtien, the second biggest city of Haiti, is known to be vulnerable to hydrological and hydro-geological problems, with recurrent events causing significant damages. The area suffered major flooding at almost exactly the same time last year. The situations is exacerbated by unplanned urbanization.

With wide areas of standing water, contaminated flood water and streets littered with waste and garbage, focus has turned to health concerns. Haiti public health authorities have called for people to be aware of the threat of the spread of cholera and other water-borne diseases, and to take necessary preventative measures in flood-affected areas of Cap-Haïtien and Port-de-Paix. - Floodlist.

DELUGE: Winter Storm Hits Ocean City, New Jersey - Many Areas Submerged By Widespread Flooding! [VIDEO]

Floodwaters in New Jersey.

February 10, 2016 - NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES - Down the shore it wasn't snow that people had to worry about - it was flooding.

Roads in Ocean City were flooded Tuesday. Many streets were impassable, but that's not a surprise to locals.

We found Bud Arcaini on 13th Street right on the bay checking on some houses to make sure they didn't get water inside.

Arcaini tells us, "New moon, high tide and the way the wind was blowing keeping everything in the bay. Water can't leave the bay with that wind coming out of the north, so this is what you get."

Lauren Perkins says, "This is higher than we get normally because there's a push from the northeast, but it's not uncommon to see this."

Not uncommon, but residents and business people say it's getting old.

Phyllis Casper says, "It's unsettling because you can't leave your house. So that's why I'm out early this morning so I can move my car and go back this afternoon."

"Obviously, there's no place to park and it cuts down on the customers," says Bob Farnsworth, who runs the Tuckahoe bike shop on West Avenue.

Part of Farnsworth's shop was flooded Tuesday. He's been repairing bicycles that got wet in the last storm.

He says, "Basically, saltwater and bikes don't mix very well. It gets into bearings, it gets into the spokes." The flooding situation was much the same in North Wildwood. The area around Chestnut and Delaware was submerged. Back bay flooding created a watery mess in a town still recovering from the storm that caused serious flooding two weeks ago.


WATCH: New Jersey street flooding.

Mark Reimet of Ocean City says, "It seems to be flooding in areas that didn't flood before. I don't know what's going on, whether there's been some sort type of change, but it's definitely deepened the normal areas but more so in areas that typically hadn't flooded."

The good news is, by Tuesday evening much of the flooding had receded and snow is not expected along the coast, so there won't be that added element to deal with. - 6ABC.

DELUGE: Flash Floods Hit Saudi Arabia - Five People Dead!

Rainwater floods a major road in Tabuk. © Sabq

November 17, 2015 - SAUDI ARABIA - Heavy rain and flash floods in Saudi Arabia along its Red Sea coast has killed five people.

The Saudi Civil Defense said on Tuesday that three children were among those who were killed by the flash floods.

An 11-year-old child reportedly drowned in the western province of Yanbu. Another child, whose age was not disclosed, was swept away and killed by floodwaters in the northwestern province of Ha'il. A third child drowned in an area on the outskirts of Jiddah.

A man pushes his car in flooded water following heavy rainfall in the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah on November 17, 2015.  © AFP

"We are all pained today by the loss of our children's lives in accidents and various areas after being swept away by the floodwaters," the Civil Defense authority said in a message posted on Twitter.

Also in Jeddah, two other people died when they were electrocuted by a lamp post. Another child is missing in Ha'il and Civil Defense rescue crews are conducting searches to find that child.

Schools and universities are closed and Saudi Arabia's emergency response crews have advised residents to stay indoors as heavy rains pounded areas along the kingdom's Red Sea coastline.


WATCH: Flash flooding in Saudi Arabia.

Saudis took to social media to share videos and pictures of flooded streets and high winds, which are expected to last until Wednesday. The area experienced deadly floods in 2009 killing more than 120 people.

The National Center for Meteorology and Seismology in the neighboring United Arab Emirates says rain is expected there Friday. - Press TV.

 

DELUGE: Flooding Hits Thousands Of Homes In Kampung Pulo, East Jakarta, Indonesia - Inundate Almost All The Homes In The Area!

May 26, 2014 -  INDONESIA - Flooding has hit thousands of homes in Kampung Pulo, East Jakarta, over the last two days after heavy rain fell in Bogor, West Java, increasing water levels in the Katulampa reservoir to rise and causing the Ciliwung River to burst its banks.

A boy stands on a makeshift raft in Kampung Pulo, East Jakarta, on Friday. Thousands of houses in Kampung Pulo were
inundated over the last two days after heavy rain fell in Bogor, West Java. Many residents have begun reconsidering the
city administration’s offer of relocation to low-cost apartments as the area has flooded several times this month. (JP/Dewanti Wardhani)

The floodwater, which reached up to 2 meters in some places, inundated almost all the houses in the area but no fatalities have been reported and nobody was evacuated; most residents stayed on the second floors of their homes, as is their habit during the height of the rainy season.

According to the head of neighborhood unit (RT) 4, Usep Tahrudin, the flooding hit Kampung Pulo on Thursday afternoon. The water receded after several hours, only to return at a higher level at dawn on Friday.

"At midnight we received information that more floodwater was coming. So, thankfully, we were able to anticipate and make preparations," Usep told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Usep added that the level of floodwater on the roads reached 1.5 meters, leaving most houses in the neighborhood inundated. However, locals were still in their homes as they could stay on the second floors.

"The flooding hasn't reached 2 meters so we're still safe. We can still sleep on the second floor [of our home]. We've experienced worse conditions before," Usep said.

He and his neighbors quickly moved their belongings upstairs to the second floors of their homes after hearing the announcement.

Fifty-four-year-old Usep said people in the area were now accustomed to flooding. Most of them had even prepared survival kits in case they needed to evacuate.

One resident, Rosalina, said her children had even begun to enjoy the flooding. While she was busy trying to clean her house of the floodwater, her two daughters were playfully splashing each other.

Like Usep, Rosalina and her family did not evacuate, as the upstairs of their house was still dry.

"My children like to swim in the floodwater after school. They've become accustomed to flooding," she said.

Although most Kampung Pulo residents have become used to floods, some have started to complain that they are occurring more often than in the past.

Rudi, who has lived in Kampung Pulo all his life, said there had been floods than usual this year.

"We used to suffer flooding only once every five years. But this month alone, floods have hit us 10 times. It's getting worse," Rudi said.

As a solution to the worsening situation, the Jakarta administration has plans in place to rehabilitate the Ciliwung River. Once the work on the river begins, thousands of people living along the riverbanks will be evicted and relocated.

The city administration is currently building rusunawa (low-cost rental apartments) for the relocation.

"I once refused to be relocated, but I have changed my mind. I will gladly move to the rusunawa once construction is complete, as long as the government pays compensation," Rudi said.

However, most people were unwilling to be relocated because the administration was only offering a small amount of compensation money, he added.

Seperately, Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnma told reporters at City Hall on Friday that the administration had already agreed to pay compensation for the buildings and land occupied by the riverbank squatters.

However, the amount of compensation paid would be different to property market prices, he said. "We have regulations to determine the amounts of compensation. For example, compensation to someone on land who does not have an ownership certificate will only be 80 percent of the value of the taxable property," he said.

Ahok said that although the administration was ready to pay the compensation, squatters still wanted to negotiate with the Building Construction, Supervision and Regulation Agency (P2B) about the amounts they would receive.

"If they don't want to follow our plan, their houses will be flooded again," he said.

Ahok said if the squatters were willing to leave, he guaranteed that their new homes would be free from flooding. - Jakarta Post.

ICE AGE NOW: Snowstorms In Spring - Deep Snow Raises Alarms For Midwest, New England Flooding?!

March 27, 2013 - UNITED STATES - While spring is officially here, many parts of the United States still feel like they are stuck in winter's grasp. Snow has continued to fall across parts of the Plains, Midwest, mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. However, as temperatures rise in the coming weeks, that snow will turn to water, and that will cause problems for rivers and streams across the country.

These late-winter snowstorms contain more water than storms a few months prior. Wet snow, which holds more water, is more likely to form during end-of-season storms. On average, for every 5 inches of wet snow you get 1 inch of water, compared to an average of half an inch of water for 5 inches of powdery snow. For some areas in the Northeast and the Plains, there are over 6 inches of water stored in snowpack.

Melting snow and rain can cause rivers to overflow and flood surrounding areas. Photo by On-Air.

"If you get a warm rain to come through in the spring bringing 2 inches of water, and it melts the snowpack and releases 6 inches of water there, you could see 8 extra inches of water that rivers and streams have to handle," said AccuWeather Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. "You also have to worry about the impacts of ice jams on those waterways."

Another factor in spring flooding is the ground temperature. If some ground areas are still frozen, it won't be able to soak up flood waters. Sosnowski warns that this time of year it's possible to see a snowstorm come in and pile on more wet snow, then a warmer storm come through right after to cause rapid melting.

AccuWeather meteorologist Jim Andrews cites January of 1996 as an example of this kind of flooding. About 2 to 3 feet of snow quickly turned into 2 to 4 inches of water from a rain storm. In the spring, he says, conditions are even more troublesome, as higher dew points add to moisture.

This snow analysis map from NOAA shows the water equivalent held in snowpack as of March 26. Mountainous areas in the West also have high water content in their snow, which will melt slowly over the course of the summer.

Andrews says that the Red River Valley in the Dakotas should be particularly watched. The low-gradient river, which has the rare quality of flowing north, will take time to flood. While this can be good news for people who may need to move out of its way, it also means that it will take a long time to recede. The flat landscape leaves nothing to try to stop the water once it crests over the river banks. New England's Connecticut River is another area Andrews warns may see some high flooding this spring, as there are high water levels in Northeastern snow.

New England has high potential for flooding this spring from deep snowpack. CREDIT: NOAA.

This information is generally agreed upon by NOAA, which held a conference to discuss spring flooding last week. NOAA meteorologists predict that spring flooding will be worse for the northern Plains than it was last year. Specifically, they report that Devils and Stump lakes in North Dakota have a 50 percent chance of rising 2 feet. If that were the case, 20,000 acres of farmland and roads would be flooded.

They are not optimistic about any flooding having positive impacts on drought-stricken areas, however, especially in the Southwest, Great Plains and Florida. They predict drier-than-normal conditions in the West, but a wetter-than-normal spring for the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes regions. Above-average temperatures that are expected for most of the country can also lead to rapid snow melt. Areas along the middle of the Mississippi River have already seen, and will continue to see, minor flooding. - AccuWeather.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Hundreds Of Dead Fish Found In Stansbury Park Lake, Utah?!

March 17, 2013 - UNITED STATES - Hundreds of dead fish have been found in the Stansbury Park Lake; the carp were killed when the water froze over.

High levels of ammonia, which is harder on the larger fish, have been found in portions of the lake where the water had recently thawed.

Tooele County, Utah State Fish and Wildlife Service, scouts and residents have all teamed up to haul the piles of fish to dumpsters. They are asking for the public’s help to return the lake to normal.

Jaden Sutherland lives near the lake, and he said the task is not a savory one.

“Dead fish, half as tall as I am,” he said. “Yeah, it’s just disgusting. Rotting dead fish in dumpsters, not the best thing to look at.”

Ryan McCarty also lives near the lake, and he said the masses of dead fish might be a blessing in disguise.

“They tell us to get rid of the carp anyway,” he said. “I guess we needed to clean up anyway, so I guess naturally is the way to do it.”

There are no plans to replace the fish. The mass of fish deaths is normal during cold winters. - FOX13.

WATCH: Hundreds of dead fish found in Utah lake.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Thousands Of Fish Found Dead In Hunter River, New South Wales, Australia!

March 14, 2013 - AUSTRALIA - A three-generation landowner whose property adjoins the Hunter River near Raymond Terrace says thousands of fish have died in the waterway.

Photo: Dead fish and the oily residue along the edges of the Hunter River at Millers Forest.
(Supplied by Gerald O'Brien, Millers Forest).

Horse breaker and trainer at Millers Forest, Gerald O'Brien says the fish-kill is on a scale he has never seen before, even after major flooding.

He says it has also left a dirty, oily scum along the edges of the Hunter River.

Mr O'Brien has reported the incident to the Environment Protection Authority and says he is very concerned that something more than floodwaters is depriving the fish of oxygen.

"The river's subsiding from the floods, there's a big clean up along the banks from all the rubbish and whatnot," he said.

"But this morning we've noticed a lot of dead fish floating along in the river, eels, fish.

"More fish are swimming with their mouths open above the water, I guess they're looking for oxygen, but there's a scum on top of it (the water).

"To me it looks like a bit of fuel, diesel, or something, along the edges."

Map: Millers Forest 2324.

He says he does not accept the fish kill is simply the result of floodwaters coming from further upstream.

"No, I've lived here all my life, so has my father and grandfather and we've never seen anything like this after a flood.

"It's something out of the normal.

"I'm not sure what it consists of but it's just not natural for our river." - ABC News Australia.

ICE AGE NOW: Global Cooling Across The World - Unseasonable Snow Falls In South Island, New Zealand; As Australia Faces Heatwave!

January 03, 2013 - NEW ZEALAND - A sodden South Island will have the chance to dry off over the next few days, after a front which brought gales, torrential rain, thunderstorms and unseasonal snow to the south moves off the country.  MetService this afternoon said weather conditions had now settled and the storm had abated. 

Thirsty Creek near Inchbonnie. Photo / Kasey Miles.

The winter-like weather brought down a vital bridge and fibre optic cable on State Highway 6, just north of Harihari, cutting off communication for about 1000 residents.  Floodwaters prevented structural engineers from inspecting the bridge today.  "Teams of contractors are working 15 hours while there's daylight to clear the flood debris and divert the river," New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) spokesman Mark Pinner said. "Once water levels drop we can get in quickly to inspect the bridge and then start re-building that section of the highway lost in the flood."  NZTA was hoping to have a clearer picture tomorrow on how long it would take to reopen the road, although it was expected to take days.  The West Coast road via Lewis Pass through Murchison also had to be closed, forcing travellers to make a seven-hour detour around Blenheim and Kaikoura to get to the east coast of the South Island.

State Highway 65 between Murchison and Springs Junction remains closed due to flooding, Mr Pinner said.  State Highway 6 in the upper Buller Gorge had been closed due to flooding, but that reopened this afternoon.  Last night, eight vehicles spent four hours stranded in the remote Buller Gorge after slips trapped them.  Four trampers spent a cold and wet night stranded in the Kahurangi National Park when they were cut off by a landslip.  They camped for the night above the slip, and were winched to safety this morning when the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter was able to fly into the area.  More than half a metre of rain fell in some areas of the West Coast over the past two days.  Snow fell on the Lindis Pass in Otago overnight, forcing travellers to abandon their vehicles near the summit.  MetService forecaster Peter Kreft said weather conditions had generally settled down, and New Zealand now had a ridge of high pressure sitting over it for today and tomorrow.  The weekend was likely to be warm just about everywhere, with temperatures in the east of both islands expected to be around the 30 degree mark, Mr Kreft said.  However, come Monday a south-west flow would reach the country, cooling things down again.  "Timing of weather events beyond Monday is still a little uncertain,'' he said. - NZ Herald.

Australia Faces Heatwave.

As Australians swelter in a heatwave, it's been snowing in New Zealand's South Island. For the second summer in a row, snow has fallen in Central Otago in January. But forecasters say the winter woollies will not be needed for long.  Kids were pictured making snowmen, the Gimmerburn range near Ranfurly looked like a winter postcard and travellers near the summit of Lindis Pass abandoned vehicles on Wednesday night.  "There was quite a lot of snow but it's not landing on the town. It's on the hills surrounding," Misha Wilkinson of Misha's Vineyard near Cromwell told AAP.  She said the snow did not damage the vineyard, which was about two weeks behind a normal season due to cooler weather.  She said unseasonably hot temperatures are predicted for a wine and food festival in the Old Cromwell town precinct on Saturday.  A hailstorm was also reported in Oamaru late on Thursday afternoon.  The snow came after heavy rain and gales disrupted travellers on the West Coast of the South Island from Wednesday but the MetService says a ridge of high pressure will bring fine weather on Friday.  "The weekend is likely to be warm just about everywhere," MetService Chief Forecaster Peter Kreft says. - Herald Sun.

DELUGE: Three Dead as "Unusual" Flooding Hits Tuscany, Italy - Sixth Highest Level Since Records Began in 1872!

November 13, 2012 - ITALY - The flooding in central Italy followed heavy rain and an unusually high tide in Venice – the sixth highest level since records began in 1872 – which left nearly three-quarters of the lagoon city under water. The three people feared to have drowned – two men and a woman – were believed to be employees of Enel, Italy's biggest electricity company. The car they were travelling in was swept off a collapsed bridge in Grosseto, a few miles inland from the Tuscan coast.

The swollen River Arno flows under the Ponte Vecchio in Florence.
Photo: CLAUDIO GIOVANNINI/AFP/Getty Images.

The deaths brought the death toll from the bad weather to four – on Monday a 73-year old man was swept away in his car by floodwaters near the town of Capalbio, also on the coast of Tuscany. Elsewhere in the region, normally known for its sun-baked summers and idyllic landscapes, people were plucked from their roofs of their flooded homes by rescue helicopters. As rivers broke their banks, more than 100 people were forced to flee their homes and take refuge in emergency shelters. The towns of Orbetello and Albinia were inundated with water, with the latter "looking like Venice", according to Italian news reports. In Rome, the Tiber was so swollen that it was no longer possible to walk or cycle along its banks. Major roads and railway lines were blocked. Enrico Rossi, the head of Tuscany's regional government, said the flooding was so severe that it required intervention by the army.

He said floods had worsened in recent years and blamed global warming. "Climate change is causing ever more serious flooding," Mr Rossi told Corriere della Sera. "We can no longer postpone the work that needs to be done." He called for 50 million euros a year for the next 10 years to build new bridges and embankments. The flooding in Venice on Sunday and Monday allowed tourists to pull on their swimming costumes and go take a dip in St Mark's Square, the lowest lying part of the city. The level of the water reached 149 centimetres – the highest since 2008. The flooding underlined the need for a multi-billion pound flood protection barrier to be completed as quickly as possible, the consortium behind the project said. The Moses flood prevent project entails the construction of giant steel gates across the three inlets through which water from the Adriatic surges into Venice's lagoon. The 300-tonne hinged panels will be fixed to massive concrete bases dug into the sea bed and will be raised whenever a dangerously high tide is predicted. Inaugurated by Silvio Berlusconi, the then prime minister, in 2003, it was due to be completed this year but is now expected to be operational in 2016. The consortium, the Consorzio Venezia Nuova, said that had the much-delayed project been up and running on Sunday, Venice would have remained dry. "This high tide underlines the urgency and necessity of completing the project quickly," it said in a statement. - Telegraph.

WATCH: Flooding has devastated parts of Tuscany - this video has no commentary.

DELUGE: Record Floodwaters Inundate Southern Louisiana - Up to 8 Feet on Some Roadways; State of Emergency in Several Areas!

Record floodwaters inundated parts of southern Louisiana early Tuesday after intense rains caused flash flooding and prompted hundreds of rescues.

Estimates by the National Weather Service put total rainfall at 12 to 18 inches across the region, with possible amounts of 20 or more inches in some areas. A flood warning has been issued until late Tuesday. Floodwaters were cresting overnight for Bayou Vermilion at Carencro at 5.5 feet over flood stage and 12 inches above the record set in May 2004. "We're still conducting rescues," Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman Kip Judice said Monday evening. "We've done over 150 rescues throughout the day today." One of those involved 16 middle school students whose bus became stuck after more than 4 feet of water covered the road. "It was really scary because we couldn't get out of the bus ... the water was closing it in," said student Cory McCall. "It was thundering and lightning." Boats and dump trucks were used to reach the children and bring them to safety, Judice said. The town of Carencro was among the hardest hit communities in Lafayette Parish, according to Capt. Craig Stansbury, who is also from the Parish Sheriff's Office. He noted there were reports of water as high as 8 feet on some roadways. Stansbury said fire department vehicles, tractors and conventional boats and airboats were being used to reach those stranded in homes and cars. "A lot of things that we have at our disposal, we're just going to go ahead and utilize," he said. "Whatever it takes to get to the people."

The parish declared a state of emergency in the midst of the high water. "We are working with local officials to ensure they get the resources and support they need to respond to the flooding," said Kevin Davis, director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. "We urge residents to be mindful ... and to take precautionary measures." A state of emergency was also declared in St. Landry Parish, where Government Administrative Director Jessie Bellard estimated that some 2,000 people had been affected. People were driving dump trucks to rescue residents who have flooding in their homes and can't get out. Bellard said several minor and major roads, including part of U.S. Highway 190, have experienced significant flooding. "It's just a terrible situation," Bellard said. Maj. Ginny Higgins of the St. Martin Parish Sheriff's Office said flooding affected at least 15 to 20 roads Monday in that parish. Several people were safely rescued after being trapped in their vehicles, she said. A state of emergency has been declared for that parish, Higgins said. Stansbury, from Lafayette Parish, said residents knew Monday would be wet but didn't foresee the volume or intensity. "There was a forecast of some heavy rains, but I don't think anybody could have predicted that amount of rain," he said. And while the worst precipitation is over, the headaches are not. Intermittent rain continued to fall. Judice, from Lafayette Parish, said water levels were continuing to rise in his area. "It's still a very crazy situation," he said. - CNN.

WATCH: Rains flood Cajun country.

WEATHER ANOMALIES: Hosepipe Ban Announced For 8 Million as Drought Bites - Two Unusually Dry Winters in Southern and Eastern England!

Water companies across southern and eastern England are bringing are introducing water restrictions as a result of two unusually dry winters which have left reservoirs, aquifers and rivers well below normal levels.

Some rivers and groundwater levels are lower than during the drought of 1976.

Southern Water, South East Water, Thames Water, Anglian Water, Sutton and East Surrey, Veolia Central and Veolia South East are all bringing in restrictions on water use in the drought-stricken South East and East Anglia regions. Last month the water companies warned that hosepipe bans were on the cards, as the Environment Department (Defra) declared the South East had joined most of East Anglia in a state of drought.Shortly afterwards, the rest of the Anglian region went into drought. Southern Water said it was bringing in a ban on hosepipes and sprinklers for domestic customers in Kent and Sussex from April 5 for the first time since 2005/2006, following the second driest 12 months on record in the region.

The use of hosepipes and sprinklers will also be banned for watering public parks and allotments, as well as for filling swimming pools, paddling pools, ponds and fountains. The company's water strategy manager, Meyrick Gough, said: "These measures are being brought in following an exceptionally dry 12 months. "Thanks to improvements made to our supply network, which enables us to move water from areas with a surplus to those with a shortage, our lowest ever leakage level, the ongoing installation of 500,000 water meters and customers being more water efficient, we are in a better position than we would have been in these circumstances in previous years. "But, as the weather gets warmer, the demand for water will rise and therefore, to safeguard supplies throughout the summer we need to restrict the amount of water used in gardens." Bewl reservoir in Kent, which supplies Southern Water customers, is only two-fifths full, and the company was given a drought permit last month to help refill it.  As a result of higher rainfall in the western part of the company's region, there are currently no plans for restrictions in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said: "These temporary restrictions will help protect the public's water supply in the areas most affected by the record low levels of rainfall we have experienced over the last 17 months. "We can all help reduce the effects of drought by respecting these restrictions and being smarter about how we use water. "Taking action now to reduce how much water we use will help us all in the future." - Telegraph.