MONUMENTAL EARTH CHANGES: The National Weather Service Calls U.S. South Flash Flooding A "HISTORIC EVENT" - 3 People Dead; MANDATORY Mass Evacuation Underway; STATE OF EMERGENCY In 16 Louisiana Parishes; NATIONAL GUARD Called In; Up To 15 INCHES PLUS OF RAIN Expected; Forecaster Says "It Looks Like A Pretty Bad Situation"! [VIDEO]

A car lies submerged in the Tall Timbers subdivision after flooding near Shreveport, Louisiana March 9, 2016, in a photo provided
by the Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office © Deputy Josh Cagle / Reuters

March 10, 2016 - U.S. SOUTH - At least three people were killed and thousands forced from their homes as a second round of severe rains poured down in parts of the South. The National Weather Service is calling the flash flooding a historic event.

Rivers rose to near-record levels, resulting in cars and homes near Shreveport, Alabama being submerged by several feet of water. Flood conditions are expected to last until early Saturday in northwestern Louisiana.

Governor John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency in 16 Louisiana parishes, with the National Guard being called in to assist evacuation efforts after the rains began on Wednesday morning.

Spokeswoman Rebekah Malone says that the Guard evacuated 361 people in Louisiana’s Bossier, Morehouse, and Ouchita parishes, according to Fox News.

Thousands evacuated as historic flooding swamps Louisiana
Twitter: The Weather Channel 

A 75-year-old man drowned on Wednesday afternoon near Lucky, Louisiana while attempting to drive through a flooded highway. A female passenger driving with him managed to be pulled to safety, but is suffering from hypothermia, The Weather Channel reported.

Officials ordered the mandatory evacuation of 3,500 homes as a precaution as the water in a nearby bayou was approaching the top of its levee.

“After a while, with more rain coming in, we’re probably not going to be able to get in and out of our neighborhood because a lot of it is under water,” resident Jennifer Williams told KTBS. “A lot of the homes are under water.”

Authorities in the Texas counties of Harrison and Marion, located to the west of Shreveport, also issued evacuation orders due to the severe rains, with flooding expected to continue through Sunday.


WATCH: Widespread flooding in the U.S. South.

“We expect some areas to get 15 inches plus of rain,” National Weather Service forecaster Bob Oravec said, according to Reuters. “It looks like a pretty bad situation.”

A 22-year-old man was killed in southeastern Texas on Sunday night when his kayak capsized, according to AP. He was not wearing a life jacket, police said.

A 30-year-old man drowned in his SUV in Southwest Oklahoma on Tuesday night while trying to cross a bridge covered in floodwaters, according to Reuters. A passenger in the vehicle managed to swim to safety. - RT.

 

GLOBAL COASTAL EVENT: Anomalous Giant Waves Strike The Coast Of Chile - Waves Reach As High As 15 FEET HIGH! [PHOTOS + VIDEOS]

Giant waves in Chile.

March 4, 2016 - CHILE - Dangerous and anomalous tidal waves are currently hitting the Chilean coast.

The ports of Iquique, Mejillones, Tocopilla, Chañaral, Hanga Roa, Quintero have been closed. Strong waves in Vina del Mare:

Fuertes marejadas reportadas hoy en ViñadelMar Chile, ordenan evacuación total imagen de @ExtraChile pic.twitter.com/zlcyVSggAn

— FAUSTO ADRIÁN (@fauadrian) March 3, 2016

Destruction in Mejillones:

Esta tarde embarcación menor es destruida por marejadas en #Mejillones. (Vídeo Nicole Navarro) pic.twitter.com/8whvPCKtCi

— Cristhian Acori A. (@CristhianAcori) March 3, 2016

Strong waves in Taltal:

Fuertes marejadas en #Taltal, como todo el verano. @radiomaderofm @ObreroDelMic @GustavoRoldan pic.twitter.com/RzEqpVR1IP
— Alvaro Roldán C. (@aRolasx) March 3, 2016

The event that started on March 3, 2016, has been classified as anomalous by the National Weather service of Chile.

#Marejadas  en la costa de Taltal pic.twitter.com/HJAeHXJTLQ

— Gino Montecinos (@GinoMontecinos) March 5, 2016

Marejadas en @taltal. pic.twitter.com/KmNcKgUpul

— Alvaro Roldán C. (@aRolasx) March 4, 2016

Fuertes marejadas reportadas hoy en ViñadelMar Chile, ordenan evacuación total imagen de @ExtraChile pic.twitter.com/zlcyVSggAn

— FAUSTO ADRIÁN (@fauadrian) March 3, 2016

The dangerous situation is enhanced by strong wind blowing offshore which could finally trigger giant and strong storm surges. Numbers of major ports are now closed.

The giant waves are now already 4.5-meter (14.76 feet) high.

It's a real emergency so don't go out!

- Strange Sounds.

EXTREME WEATHER: Three-Day Storm Hits Jerusalem - Israeli Electric Corporation Declares State Of Emergency!

Snow falls in central Jerusalem on Monday.© Hadas Parush/Flash90

January 27, 2016 - ISRAEL - Electric corporation kicks it into high gear as snow starts moving in ahead of overnight buildup; electricity usage breaks record

Jerusalem was visited by bursts of snow showers on Monday as a three-day storm continues to set upon Israel, and the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) has declared a state of emergency in the capital in anticipation of the coming deluge.

On Monday the record for electricity usage in winter was broken, as the 12,200 megawatt previous high was shattered and consumption continues to rise. A 2.3% increase from the previous record has already been reached.

A full 47 millimeters (nearly two inches) of rain fell in Jerusalem on Monday, making it the highest amount of rainfall in the entire country. While snow also fell down upon the capital, it did not stick or build up - but that's to change on Monday night, as Jerusalemites can anticipate to wake to a white morning on Tuesday.

IEC Director Maj. Gen. (res.) Yiftah Ron-Tal updated Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz (Likud) on Monday regarding the company's preparations for electricity disturbances in Jerusalem, after snow began falling earlier in the day.

A situation room has been opened in Jerusalem and an emergency situation has been declared by the IEC.

The corporation is to reinforce its crews on the ground, as well as its staff on the 103 telephone hotline which is in direct contact with the Jerusalem municipality and the police, passing out information to the interested public and fielding reports of power outages.

On Sunday, the IEC deployed a mobile power station to the Atarot neighborhood in the north of Jerusalem, so as to back-up the power supply in the capital. It has also dispatched generators to remote towns where access has been limited due to the weather conditions.

IEC is preparing for unusually high electricity consumption on Monday night due to the rapid drop in temperature over the last day.

While the storm weakened somewhat on Monday, the cold wave blowing in from Russia continues to move in, and heavy rains and winds blustered throughout the country, accompanied by thunderstorms and hail. Flood warnings remain in effect for certain locations.

The rain will continue intermittently overnight, with potential snowfall in the north. That snow is to gather on mountains over 700 meters (just under 2,300 feet) in height in the center of the country, including in Jerusalem, and build overnight.

In light of the approaching snow, police are preparing to close Highways 1 and 443 that connect the coastal region and Jerusalem on Monday night. - Arutz Sheva.

EXTREME WEATHER: Strong Storm System Hits Wales - Over 1,100 Homes Without Electricity; UNPRECEDENTED Flooding; Mass Evacuation! [PHOTOS]

Stuart Ladd

January 27, 2016 - WALES - According to the BBC, about 450 houses were affected on Tuesday morning, and another 700 later in south-west Wales.

The country's authorities have issued numerous warnings about possible floods, and the Meteorological Office of the country warned that rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday could reach 4 inches.

Earlier in December, hundreds of people were forced to flee their homes due to an unprecedented flooding with the highest level ever recorded in some parts of northern Britain.

Tens of thousands of homes were left without electricity because of heavy rain and strong wind. - Sputnik.

Stuart Ladd

Stuart Ladd

Stuart Ladd

The Dyfi River has burst its banks in Machynlleth, Powys.  Stuart Ladd

Stuart Ladd

A driver stuck in flood water has been rescued by firefighters after Storm Jonas brought heavy rain to parts of Wales.

Crews freed the car on the A4069 between Llangadog and Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, after the River Bran burst its banks.

The Met Office had warned up to 10cm (4in) of rain could fall on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the worst of the weather is expected to clear by 15:00 GMT.

Flood alerts and warnings are in place.

In mid Wales, the Dyfi River has burst its banks near Machynlleth, Powys. - BBC.

EXTREME WEATHER: Severe Hail Storm Hits Southern Germany - Golf Ball-Sized Stones; Nine People Injured; Dozens Of Homes Damaged!

Residents described seeing large hailstones

May 16, 2015 - GERMANY - At least nine people have been injured and dozens of homes damaged in a hailstorm in southern Germany.

There were reports of hailstones the size of golf balls in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.

Winds of up to 120 km/h (75mph) were reported on Wednesday night and residents near the Bavarian city of Augsburg spoke of seeing a tornado.

Roofs were badly damaged, blocks of flats had to be evacuated and a local school had to be closed on Thursday.

 Two people were hurt by lightning in the state of Baden Wuerttemberg

Two people were taken to hospital with severe injuries caused by lightning strikes.

Seven more were hurt in Bavaria, where several houses in villages near Augsburg were no longer habitable. Authorities appealed for help from construction workers to repair the damage.

"First it rained, then very briefly hail, then there was a whoosh and everything flew through the whole area!," one resident told Bavarian media.


WATCH: Hail storm damage in Germany.

German weather officials did not confirm claims of a tornado.

One person was killed last week in northern Germany when a tornado swept through the town of Buetzow, near Rostock. - BBC.

 

MAJOR STORM ALERT: Strengthening Typhoon Noul Targets Philippines; Taiwan And Japan On Alert - Mass Evacuation Underway! [MAPS + FORECAST]

May 8, 2015 - PHILIPPINES - Residents of the Philippines should continue to monitor Typhoon Noul closely as it approaches and makes landfall in the northeast on Sunday. Noul is expected to be the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane with peak winds near 220 km/h (140 mph) when it makes landfall.

The Philippines is preparing to evacuate thousands of residents along its northeastern coast.

While Noul was still strengthening, Yap took the brunt of the storm on Wednesday, local time, as torrential rain and strong winds battered the island. Rainfall totaled more than 300 mm (12 inches) before rainfall tapered off Wednesday night.

Yap was struck by Super Typhoon Maysak at the end of March and early April. Major damage ensued across parts of the island.

Although impacts were not as extreme from Noul, the combination of heavy rain and strong winds caused a new round of damage.

Philippine authorities have been preparing food rations for those affected by the typhoon [Reuters]

Noul is currently moving toward the northwest, but an eventual turn more to the north is expected as it moves past the northern Philippines.

Latest indications point toward Noul tracking over the northeast coast of Luzon, before moving north and northeast. This track will take Noul to the east of Taiwan, though some rain and wind is possible in eastern parts of the island.


Anyone with interests in the northern Philippines should continue to check back with AccuWeather.com for the latest updates as Noul move past the country.

Confidence remains high that Manila will escape the worst impacts from Noul; however, a couple of gusty showers and thunderstorms are still expected through Sunday.

Any widespread damage will be limited to northern Luzon, especially areas near the northeast coast where the central core of Noul will pass over.

These areas can expect 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) of rain, with localized amounts up to 300 mm (12 inches). This rainfall will lead to flooding and the threat for mudslides in mountains terrain.

As Noul moves through the Philippine Sea, seas will be extremely dangerous with rough surf continuing along the eastern beaches of the Philippines into the start of the week.

Based on the current forecast track, the most hazardous and life-threatening conditions for boaters and swimmers will be along the eastern coast of Luzon. However, residents along the eastern coast as far south as Mindanao will still notice an increase in seas and the rip current threat.

AccuWeather.com meteorologists will also keep a close eye on any potential impacts Noul will pose to Japan, especially the Ryukyu Islands, early next week.

Noul is expected to begin weakening after interacting with Luzon, but the storm could still bring heavy rainfall and locally strong winds as it accelerates to the northeast. Noul will eventually become non-tropical is the circulation is absorbed into a cold front.


 WATCH: Typhoon Noul Gains Power - Nears Philippines.

The moisture from Noul can enhance rainfall across Japan during the first half of next week with the potential for some flooding in Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu. This is especially true along the southern-facing sides of the islands.

Another tropical system has joined Noul in the western Pacific, as Tropical Storm Dolphin developed to the southeast of Guam. Residents of Guam should monitor this storm for any impacts during the middle of next week as the eventual track will bring the strengthening storm near the island. - AccuWeather.

EXTREME WEATHER: Massive Wildfire In Florida's Miami-Dade County - Burns Nearly 2,000 Acres!

Wildfire scorches Miami-Dade County.

April 22, 2015 - FLORIDA, UNITED STATES - Parts of Miami-Dade County's skyline was hidden from view Monday as smoke from a growing 1,850-acre wildfire loomed over portions of the Florida county.

What started as a nonthreatening and seemingly shrinking grass fire on Sunday, consuming fewer than 100 acres according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Al Cruz, grew to be more than 10 times that within the next 24 hours.

By Monday night, the fire had burned nearly 2,000 acres and was 50% contained, the fire department said.

High temperatures and gusty winds helped the fire spread, State Forester Jim Karels said.

Several fire units and a helicopter with the capacity to drop 400 gallons of water at a time were battling the blaze, Cruz said.

"The Florida Forest Service and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue have worked around the clock to protect Southwest Miami-Dade County," Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam H. Putnam said in a statement.

Early Monday night, officials were considering road closures, and one school, Lincoln Marti, was evacuated as a precaution, according to the Fire Department. - CNN.

INFRASTRUCTURE COLLAPSE: Big Apple Breakdown - Burst Water Main Floods New Yor City Subway, Streets! [PHOTOS + VIDEO]

Screenshot from youtube video by GBE NYC

April 9, 2015 - NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - A busted water main flooded streets and interrupted subway service near Greenwich Village in New York City on Wednesday. The fire department and water crews are responding.

The cause of the broken water main is unclear at this point, but the fire department said it's possible that a Con Edison utility crew accidentally struck the water pipe. The incident resulted in a downpour of water at the 14th Street station, where the 1, 2 and 3 trains stop.

Videos posted online show one subway car stuck on the rails as water cascades down its sides, with people still sitting inside. The fire department told DNAinfo that there have been no reports of people still inside the station, though some 500 people had to be evacuated.

Another video shows so much water falling onto the tracks that a pool is formed almost as high as the subway platform.

 WATCH: Water main break at 14th Street station.

According to amNewYork, power has been cut to the train tracks and service has been diverted. The trains are still running, but with significant delays, and none are stopping at 14th Street.

Meanwhile, the flood of water ended up above ground on the streets as well. Some roads have been shut down, NBC 4 stated. - RT.

GEOLOGICAL UPHEAVALS: Man And Woman Fall Into Sinkhole At South Korean Train Station!

Man and woman falling into sinkhole. © Stomp

February 23, 2015 - SOUTH KOREA - A man and woman got off a train in South Korea, only to fall right into a sinkhole in the train station.

CCTV footage shows what happened during that incident.

As the man and woman get off the train, a patch of tiles in the station can be seen looking slightly out of place compared to the rest of the floor.

As both the man and woman step onto that patch, the section of floor gives and they both fall in.

Another man and woman look on in shock after narrowly avoiding the fall.

According to online reports, the man and woman sustained injuries from their fall.


WATCH: Man and woman fall into sinkhole in South Korea.

- Asia One.

GEOLOGICAL UPHEAVALS: Stunningly Massive Sinkhole Opens Up In Naples, Italy - Over 380 People Evacuated! [MUST SEE PHOTOS]

A sinkhole opened up in the middle of a street in Naples, Italy early Sunday morning.

February 22, 2015 - NAPLES, ITALY - Residents in Naples, Italy woke up this morning to a massive sinkhole that opened up in the middle of a street.

Officials say the sinkhole started off as a depression in the road and is most likely caused by a broken sewer.

'It was 5 this morning when I heard a huge thud. I looked out and saw the road collapse and swallow a car,' a woman who lives in a neighboring apartment told Il Mattino.

None of the surrounding buildings showed sign of damage, but nonetheless the four condominiums surrounding the crater were evacuated on Sunday with city officials scrambling to find accommodations for the 380 displaced locals.

About 380 people from four surrounding condominiums were evacuated after the sinkhole opened up, sending city officials scrambling to find accommodations

Engineers plan to stabilize the sinkhole by filling it with concrete

'We are in contact with hotel facilities in the area in order to accommodate everyone and try to reduce as far as possible, the inconvenience to citizens,' an official said.

David Lezzi, the operations manager of the site, said crews will first figure out the extent of the hole before trying to stabilize it with concrete.

Reports did not say when residents might be able to return to their homes. The area has been cordoned off.  - Daily Mail.

INFRASTRUCTURE COLLAPSE: Train With Crude Oil Derails In West Virginia - Mass Evacuation Ordered For Two Towns; One Tank Car Ends Up In Local River And Another Slams Into A House, Bursting Into Flames!

BREAKING: Train with chemicals derails in West Virginia, evacuations underway - local media report (pic @arothfield)

February 16, 2015 - WEST VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES - Two West Virginia towns are being evacuated after a train carrying crude oil derailed nearby, local media report.

Emergency officials said that people from towns of Adena Village and Boomer Bottom are being evacuated.

Google Maps

At least one tank car ended up in a local river, while another slammed into a house and burst into flames.

Several fire departments are working to contain the flames and the Department of Homeland Security as well as the Department of Environmental Protection have been notified of the accident, the Charleston Gazette reports.

“At least one, possibly more, rail cars have gone into the Kanawha River,” spokesperson for the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety Lawrence Messina said. “A house fire occurred as a result of the derailment. We’re told that emergency responders are having a hard time reaching the house fire because of the derailment.”

Kanawha County Emergency Management agency confirmed that several tank cars and houses have exploded as a result of the derailment. In a Facebook post, the agency wrote that water systems downstream from the accident have been notified to close their intakes.

Locals are being advised to avoid the area. A makeshift shelter for evacuees has been set up at a local high school. - RT.

EXTREME WEATHER: Californian Town Of Swall Meadows Ravaged By "Wall Of Red" Wildfire - 11-SQUARE MILE Blaze; 40 Homes And Other Buildings DESTROYED; Mass Evacuation Underway!

The wind-whipped fire gutted about 40 homes near Swall Meadows, California, along the Sierra Mountains, this weekend. © Jim Stimson/AP

February 12, 2015 - CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES - Police went door to door to get 250 residents out of Swall Meadows this weekend before a massive wind-driven wildfire swept through the town and destroyed 40 homes and other buildings along the Sierra mountains.

Ira Hanson milled around an evacuation center near tiny Swall Meadows on Sunday afternoon, not quite sure what to do after learning that the dream home he and his late wife had built 30 years earlier was damaged in a wildfire that consumed 40 homes and buildings.

Sheriff's deputies had banged on the door and urged him to get out less than 48 hours earlier, and he'd fled the house with little more than his medications and a pillow. Officials later told him that fire crews had to knock down one of the home's walls in an effort to save another house next door, but he had yet to see the damage.

"It's unbelievable," said Hanson, 79. "It's like having a nightmare and you're going to wake up any minute and it won't be true."

Fire crews increased containment of the wind-driven wildfire that ravaged communities along the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, but they said Sunday that they still didn't know when the roughly 250 residents evacuated from Swall Meadows and nearby Paradise would be able to return home.

WATCH: Evacuations remain after wildfire chars California towns.

 WATCH: Round Fire ravages Swall Meadows near Bishop.

Utility workers were busy tending to the charred power poles along the roads in the two towns, and forestry crews sawed at fallen trees that blocked a main thoroughfare. Nearby, two gutted, gray trucks rested on a driveway that led to a pile of rubble.

With power poles down and hot spots smoldering near propane tanks, it was unclear when officials would lift evacuation orders.

The fire left burnt out vehicles and homes reduced to rubble in the community of Swall Meadows, California.

Firefighters made progress after rain moved in, and they have since contained 75 percent of the 11-square-mile blaze.

But Brown said the rain hasn't been enough to completely put out the fire. A three-year drought across California has created extremely dry timber brush that fueled the flames and pushed them all the way up the Sierra slopes to the snow line around 8,000 feet, she said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

The fire left burnt out vehicles and homes reduced to rubble in the community of Swall Meadows, California.  © Michelle Rindels/AP

Meanwhile, officials running the evacuation center in Crowley Lake said they received an outpouring of support. Pizzas, fresh fruit and a birthday cake collected on a folding table, while a white board filled up with the names and phone numbers of people who had volunteered their homes for displaced humans and pets.

So many had opened their homes that nobody stayed in the shelter overnight.

"This is one of the most resilient communities you're ever going to find," said Mono County Administrator Jim Leddy. "They know how to take care of themselves and take care of their neighbors."  - NY Daily News.

ICE AGE NOW: Near Record Snowfall And Infrastructure Collapse In British Columbia - Kitamaat Village Evacuated Following THREE DAYS Without Power; 109cm In Just 24 Hours!

February 11, 2015 - BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA - B.C.'s Haisla First Nation ordered the evacuation of Kitamaat Village and its 800 residents on Saturday night, three days after the community lost power following a major snowstorm.

Many residents are staying at the Kitimat Riverlodge Leisure Centre, about 15 kilometres north in the town of Kitimat.

Others are staying with family and friends.

The small towns of Kitimat and Terrace were hit with heavy snow earlier this week - nearly two metres of snow from a Pineapple Express weather system was dumped on the region.

The record for a 24-hour snowfall, set on Feb. 5, 1961, was 112 cm. Weather officials say Kitimat came close with 109 cm of snow in a 24-hour period.

WATCH: B.C. village evacuated after record snowfall.

Evacuation ordered over Facebook

In a notice posted to Facebook on Saturday, Haisla First Nation chief councillor Ellis Ross warned of a short timeline for the Sunday morning evacuation - the road in and out of the village would be open for just three hours.

"If you have the means to get to town or somewhere else besides Kitamaat Village, please be gone before 8 a.m. PT. Anytime after 8 a.m., don't even try. The crews will be working and there will be no traffic allowed," the notice said.

Resident Robin Rowland said the evacuation was complicated by downed trees, power lines and heavy snow.

Residents had to use chainsaws to gain access to the winding road between the village and Kitimat, he said.

The road was reported as barely passable due to fallen trees and snow.

Drone video of snow-bound Kitimat


WATCH: Near record snowfall in Kitamaat.

 

More than 5,000 people in the region were left without power after the record snowfall, though many residents had their power restored within a few days.

Resident Teresa Cline says the aftermath of the snowfall is something to see:

"Just huge snow-covered trees laying on power lines," she said. "It looks like it will be a real mess to clean up. Those B.C. Hydro guys are going to be busy here. I've heard there are crews from other places that have come in to help us."

"Places that haven't been plowed, it must be at least five or six feet deep, and the snow banks are up to 10 to 12 feet tall after they've been plowed."

The District of Kitimat opened its Emergency Operations Centre on Saturday to coordinate a major snow clearing effort involving municipal crews and private contractors.

Residents were being asked to stay off the roads as municipal crews cleared streets. The district warned in a statement that venturing out and getting stuck would hinder snow removal.

Search and rescue personnel in snowmobiles were placed on standby, ready to mobilize if necessary in order to access difficult-to-reach homes.

The district was also asking people to conserve water due to power outages which were having an impact on the town's pumping system. - CBC.

INFRASTRUCTURE COLLAPSE: Massive Apartment Fire Inferno In New Jersey - State Of Emergency Declared; Schools And Roads Closed In Edgewater! [PHOTOS + VIDEO]

January 22, 2015 - NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES - A five-alarm blaze swept through a luxury New Jersey apartment complex Wednesday evening, forcing hundreds to evacuate and sending plumes of smoke thousands of feet into the sky above the Hudson River.

Firefighters struggled for hours to quench the flames at the Avalon on the Hudson at 102 Russell Ave. in Edgewater, 15 years after an earlier blaze burned the same complex to the ground as it was being built.

"We left in what we had," evacuated resident Tamara Talbott said. "We got the kids and the dogs. Our cars are all underneath. There's nothing left.”

The fire was mostly contained by Wednesday night, with no loss of life or major injuries reported, according to McPartland.

Edgewater Mayor Michael McPartland has declared a local state of emergency, announcing schools will be closed Thursday and roads will be restricted.

The fire broke out around 4:30 p.m., and the 175-unit building was quickly evacuated. After firefighters first responded, the fire appeared under control for some time, but it escalated in the back part of the complex, which responders had a hard time accessing.

The blaze then spread to the northern section of the building, engulfing multiple units. Flames and smoke could be seen from the top of Rockefeller Center, across the Hudson River.

The fire drew a massive mutual aid response, with departments from Hudson, Bergen and Union counties responding. The FDNY and Jersey City's fire department also responded with fireboats, helping to draw water from the Hudson River, officials said.

Tankers and engines attempted to fight the blaze from the exterior, and collapse zones were set up around the complex as the blaze tore down roofs.

Thick plumes of smoke from the fire sent Chopper 4 over the scene to double its normal altitude -- from about 1,500 feet to 3,000 feet.

The hillside communities surrounding Edgewater were also being watched, as embers from the blaze were whipped into the air.

Around 160 people are being sheltered at a local community center with the help of the Office of Emergency Management and Red Cross, according to the mayor.

Residents walked around River Road in shock as they wondered how a fire could spread so quickly.


"For all the fire doors and things we have in the building, I'm shocked that it would go from something small to something like this," resident Talbott said.

One responding fire chief told NBC 4 New York he thought lightweight wood construction was a factor in how quickly the fire spread.


WATCH: Chopper 4 video shows just how quickly fire ravaged the luxury apartment complex Avalon on the Hudson in Edgewater. This video was edited from several hours of footage Wednesday evening. (Published Wednesday, Jan 21, 2015)

"It collapses very easily, and the fire spreads very easily throughout," he said.

The large Avalon on the Hudson apartment complex, located by the Hudson River across from Manhattan, is across the street from the Edgewater post office, and is located across a shopping complex that contains a Trader Joe's supermarket.

The same apartment complex burned to the ground while it was being constructed in 2000. It was rebuilt featuring one-, two- and three-bedroom units designed to appeal to New York City commuters.

McPartland said the building had sprinklers inside.

Power and gas were shut off to the area as firefighters responded; some streets and buildings were still without power Wednesday night, and officials were expected to assess safety before allowing utilities to restore electricity. - NBC New York.