November 25, 2015 - VENEZUELA - One person was killed in Venezuela when a rockslide was triggered by a
5.1-magnitude earthquake in the state of Mérida, causing a traffic
collision.
The Venezuelan Foundation of Seismological Research, or FUNVISIS, reported the epicenter of the earthquake was located about 18 miles southeast of the town of El Vigía at 4:08 p.m. at a depth of about 3 miles. Multiple aftershocks were recorded in the region.
Blas Federico Méndez, 41, died immediately and his son Emmanuel Méndez, 32, was injured after their vehicle made a frontal collision with an SUV. Both vehicles attempted to evade debris from a rockslide, but collided in the process. Two people inside the SUV were injured, El Universal reported.
This is the second death connected to earthquakes in Mérida this month. FUNVISIS President and engineer Aura Fernández urged for calm, saying natural events are "normal in Venezuela, because we are a seismic country."
Six houses were significantly damaged by the earthquake. Road travel through multiple districts in Mérida and the corresponding Andean region has been limited due to potential rockslides. Officials warn the increased seismic activity could last 15 or more days.
"Recall that in Venezuela, the most seismically active area corresponds to a stretch of about 100 kilometers [62 miles] wide, defined along the mountain ranges of the Andes, the Cordillera Central and the Cordillera Oriental, places where the main plate boundaries in the country are located," FUNVISIS said in a statement.
Earlier this month, Venezuela announced it would demolish 33 homes in Mérida after more than 80 aftershocks and a 5.1-magnitude earthquake struck the South American country, killing one person. - UPI.
November 19, 2015 - NORTHWEST UNITED STATES - About 185 000 homes and businesses remained without power in Washington
state late on Wednesday, after a storm blew down trees and triggered
mudslides, killing at least three people, authorities said.
Governor Jay Inslee declared a statewide emergency because of the storm,
which left a wide swath of the Puget Sound region under flood watches
and warnings.
In the Spokane area of eastern Washington, utility Avista warned it
could take three to five days to restore services to nearly 115 000
customers without power. The city closed schools after winds up to 70
mph (113kph) tore through the area.
In Oregon, fallen trees, mudslides and floods shut down roads across the
western part of the state on Tuesday night, including a 80km stretch of
Interstate 84 that authorities declared impassible into midday
Wednesday.
Several other highways remained closed, Washington state police said.
WATCH: Fierce Storms, Hurricane-Level Winds Batter US Northwest.
At least three people were confirmed to have died in storm-related accidents, authorities in Washington state said.A
motorist was killed on Tuesday near the city of Monroe, northeast of
Seattle, when a tree fell from a cliff onto his car, said Snohomish
County Fire Chief Merlin Halverson.
"Many roads are closed from downed trees, active power lines, flood waters," Halverson said. "It's a hell of a mess here."
In Spokane, police said a woman was killed by a falling tree, while
another woman died on State Route 904 southwest of the city when a tree
struck her car, state police said on Twitter.
Puget Sound Energy, which supplies customers in parts of Seattle and its
suburbs, said fewer than 30 000 customers remain without power, down
from a peak of 220 000 customers.
To the north, in Snohomish County, the public utility district said
about 40 000 customers were without power late on Wednesday, down from
150 000 the night before.
Mudslides and other debris blocked roads.
King County, home to Seattle, reported severe flooding on the Snoqualmie
River, moderate flooding on the Green River and minor flooding on the
Cedar River.
An airport in Olympia received record daily rainfall of 2.08 inches on Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.
Slow and steady: Powerful landslide engulfs Russian countryside
April 24, 2015 - RUSSIA - The terrifying natural phenomenon brought down hundreds of trees in the area as the ground appeared to collapse
The is the incredible moment a powerful landslide tore down hundreds of trees as it ripped through the countryside.
And despite its low speed, the landslide doesn't seem any less terrifying as it cascades down the hillside.
In the clip, the sound of tree roots can be heard as they rip from the
ground while the rocky outcrops appear to subside and collapse in on
themselves.
The footage emerged earlier this month, and information provided by the
filmmaker claims the natural phenomenon occurred on April 1 in Zarechny,
Russia.
WATCH: Dramatic video shows powerful landslide ripping up trees like matchsticks.
It is likely the landslide was caused by spring meltwater that
had seeped into the soil on nearby hillsides, according to The Weather
Network.
When water is able to saturate most of the soil, the ground becomes more viscous and the soil is more likely to 'flow' downhill. - Daily Mirror.
April 18, 2015 - EARTH - The following list constitutes the latest reports of high tides, heavy
rainfall, flash floods, widespread flooding, sea level rise and
catastrophic storms.
At least 4 passengers dead after bus is swept away by floods near Mandera, Kenya
Passengers atop a bus that was swept away by flash
floods as it tried to cross a seasonal river at Gadudia in Mandera
County on April 16, 2015.
At least four passengers were killed while more than 20 remained unaccounted for after floods swept away a bus in Mandera on Thursday.
County Commissioner Alex ole Nkoyo, who confirmed the four deaths, said
rescuers were still searching for more bodies along the river where the
incident occurred.
The bus, Mr Nkoyo said, had 59 passengers with an unknown number of
children when it was rummaged by the fierce waters. Only 42 passengers
had been rescued by around 5pm, Mr Nkoyo said.
There were fears that the number of those killed following the
floods could rise as signs of more passengers being rescued faded as
darkness neared.
"We had the police escort but their vehicle had already crossed
the Gadudia seasonal river in which the bus stalled before it flooded,"
said Mr Nkoyo. The bus was traveling from Mandera to Nairobi.
Scores of passengers were washed away as others climbed on top of the bus to save their lives.
Mandera Kenya Red Cross Society coordinator Ahmed Mohamed also said 42
passengers who were in the bus as it tried to cross the river had been
rescued by 2pm.
Mr Mohamed said the rescue operation was under way and involved the KRSC, the military and other government organs.
"We will brief you as the operation continues. It is ongoing. We will confirm the whereabouts of the rest," he said.
The KRCS official said the bus, which overturned after being rummaged by
the floods, had been removed from the waters and turned over.
The bus got stuck in the mud before it was swept away by floods along with its passengers.
Mandera Town
"Several people have been carried away but the rest are on top of the
bus after coming out through the windows," Mr Nkoyo had said earlier.
"The water level is coming down and we have formed a human wall to help
rescue those on the bus and those who might have drowned," he added.
The incident occurred 35 kilometres from Mandera Town.
The bus was said to be the only one from Mandera that was heading to
Nairobi as other bus companies kept off the roads due to heavy rains.
Chile Faces $1.5 Billion Costs of Flood Damage
Chile
is now facing costs of around $1.5 billion in construction costs and
economic reactivation in the flood-hit north of the country. But based
on preliminary analysis, Fitch Ratings believes that insurance industry
solvency will not be affected.
In their statement of 14 April,
Fitch said it believes that insurance industry solvency will not be
affected by the recent floods in northern Chile (second and third
region). The Chilean property/casualty insurance industry will
adequately absorb the incurred claims and will result in a limited
effect in 2015 fiscal year net income.
Fitch say that, compared to
Chile’s 2010 earthquake, geographical extent and population density of
the flood-affected area is more limited. Meanwhile, the Chilean
insurance industry has solid risk coverage, which besides strong
underwriting policies, includes solid reinsurance protection for
retained risks and catastrophic events.
“The agency considers
unlikely an impact on the insurers’ solvency and ratings due to the
limited effect in net loss ratios, which mainly will be derived from
infrastructure damage, roads, commercial buildings and housing claims”.
Damage and Costs
Fitch
say that the largest impact of the catastrophe will be on industrial
infrastructure, considering the importance of the mining operations in
the area, housing, public buildings, commercial infrastructure and to a
lesser extent damage to vehicles. Over 2,000 homes were destroyed and over 6,000 damaged in the floods.
Difficulties
in collecting damage information have delayed estimates of the economic
costs of the disaster, and therefore also estimations of claims cost
that insurers face locally. The Chilean government has estimated the
construction costs and economic reactivation in the area at
approximately $1.5 billion USD.
Grape and Olive Production
Despite promises of financial help for flood hit farmers,
the effects of the flood disaster, particularly in the Copiapo Valley,
are expected to result in be felt in decreased table grape output in
future seasons.
In a recent statement, Copiapo Valley Agricultural
Producers and Exporters Association (APECO) president Lina Arrieta
said, “Making a preliminary estimate, it seems as though the table grape
production will be reduced by at least 30% over the coming seasons.”
Meanwhile the regions olive farmers are also suffering. Fresh Fruit Portal report that mud up to 50cm deep dumped by the floods is hampering the chances of harvesting olives on time.
Unregulated Development Exacerbated Kashmir Floods
The Jhelum Valley received unparalleled rains during September 2014.
However, the inconvenient fact remains that the Kashmir flood disaster
was notably exacerbated by human interventions in the river basin,
reports Bharat Lal Seth for International Rivers.
Jhelum River Basin Floods, September 2015
Last
year the Jhelum River Basin received unprecedented rainfall in the
Kashmir Valley. It was the wettest September in recorded history;
several weather stations broke their 24 and 48 hour records. The
administrators in the region were swift to call the downpour and
resulting deluge a “hydro-met tragedy”. Hydro-met
is a contraction for the terms hydrological and meteorological, and
therefore the loss of lives, infrastructure and property in this flood
disaster was laid squarely on unpredictable precipitation patterns and a
fast changing climate. Yet, although undeniably the Jhelum Valley
received unparalleled September rains, the inconvenient fact remains
that the disaster was notably exacerbated by human interventions in the
river basin.
The flood waters of the river Jhelum breached embankments at various points in September 2014
Photo: Bharat Lal Seth
In
a candid concession, Javed Jafar, chief engineer of the irrigation and
flood control department, said that besides heavy rain and discharge,
the urban and rural encroachments in the river basin – including
infrastructure such as railway lines, expressway and other roads –
played a negative role in creating bottlenecks, which exacerbated the
floods to the tune of “15-20%”. What Jafar meanderingly acknowledged,
but didn’t stress, is the need for better infrastructural planning in
the floodplain instead of encroaching and building on the wetlands and
lakes that are a natural sponge for floodwaters.
“Our master
planning is skewed. Under the garb of tourism there is a cartel, which
acts against the preservation of ecosystems. We need to do away with
development without planning,” said Iftikhar A. Hakim, chief town
planner of Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir that was badly hit
by the September floods.
“Srinagar, with a
population of 1.4 million, is not only exposed to constant danger from
floods, but is itself the cause of floods”
“Srinagar,
with a population of 1.4 million, is not only exposed to constant
danger from floods, but is itself the cause of floods” he added, saying
that unregulated urbanization worsened the impacts of the flood.
At
a media workshop held April 6-8, organized by the Centre for
Environment Education and The Third Pole, it was made clear by expert
presentations and a visit to particular river catchments that urban and
rural encroachments in the floodplain worsened the risks and impacts of
flooding in the valley. “We didn’t fail in 2014; we failed much before
it,” said Saleem Beg, a member of the National Monuments Authority.
“We’re doing away with wetlands and water bodies essential for the
health of the river system”, he said. The authority, among other things,
is responsible for considering permissions for construction in
prohibited and regulated areas.
The Jhelum, 725 kilometers in
length, has the calmest descent among the Himalayan rivers in the Indus
River Basin. In 150 km of the upper stretch the river descends a mere
24-meters, which makes the Jhelum a relatively silent river that is
inclined to overflow its banks in the Kashmir valley. This
characteristic makes the drainage basin wetland and system of lakes
particularly vital to deal with floodwaters. Inspite of this, the spread
of Wular Lake, one of the largest
freshwater lakes in Asia, and part of the Jhelum drainage basin, reduced
from 159 sq km in 1911 to 86 sq km in 2007. Due to such happenings the
carrying capacity of the river basin is reducing; the volume of flood
discharge in September 2014 was three times the carrying capacity of the
river.
The spread of Wular lake, part of the Jhelum drainage basin, reduced from 159 sq km in 1911 to 86 sq km in 2007.
Photo: Bharat Lal Seth
Weather Forecaster in Hot Seat
During
the period 1901-2013, the average September rainfall in the region has
been approximately 33 mm. Notably, six times the average was received
last year. At last week’s workshop, Sonam Lotus, scientist with the
Indian Meteorology Department, stationed in Kashmir for more than 9
years, talked us through the terrifying days of September 1 to 7. Very
high rainfall was received on the 3rd night and 4th morning. Sonam, in the hot seat, gave a warning to the administrators on the 3rd
afternoon that they would have a “window period” as they were “not
expecting this much water”. Instead there was incessant downpour over
the next 48 hours and beyond, with no window period in sight. The
misinformation was labeled as “human limitation”, and Sonam claimed that
with the technology at his disposal it wasn’t possible to predict such
high “abnormal” rainfall with certainty. “Don’t wait for the disaster,
prepare now,” says Sonam now, alluding to the fact that much can be done
in terms of giving the river space as well as in disaster preparedness.
He spoke of a conversation in May last year that he had with a water
resources engineer who had a premonition that “the big flood was
coming”.
“How good are we at spotting trends? The media is there
when it happens, but what happens before?” questioned Joydeep Gupta of
The Third Pole, co-organizer of the workshop, stressing the need for
pre-disaster awareness and reporting.
Natural calamities are only
further heightened when short-term real estate interests eschew the
functions of a floodplain. The same was the case in Uttarakhand in 2013, when hydropower projects, rampant muck dumping and river bank encroachments worsened the impact of the raging flood waters.
Given
the increasing occurrence of such intense and incessant week-long
rainfall events, it is essential to put in place preventive measures
that assist in delaying water flow in the catchment – not only to the
main stem, but also the streams and tributaries, water bodies and lakes,
which together increase the carrying capacity in the river basin. Our
interventions on and around rivers need to be scrutinized not just in
the postmortem of such tragedies, but re-engineered in to our
nonexistent River Basin planning.
Kazakhstan – 15,000 Evacuated as Melting Snow Causes Floods in 4 Regions
Higher temperatures during the last fews days of March, and then
again from 06 April, have increased the melting of snow and caused
widespread flooding in central and eastern Kazakhstan since 12 April 2015.
Local
media say temperatures rose to around 20 degrees Centigrade. The rise
in temperatures was accompanied by rainfall in some areas, increasing
snowmelt further, and resulting in flooding in at least 4 regions.
Snowmelt floods in Kazakhstan, April 2015. Photo: Emergency Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Kazakhstan
Snowmelt floods in Kazakhstan, April 2015. Photo: Emergency Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Kazakhstan
Snowmelt floods in Kazakhstan, April 2015. Photo: Emergency Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Kazakhstan
The regions of Akmola, Karagandy, Pavlodar and East Kazakhstan have since declared a state of emergency.
The
Emergency Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Kazakhstan
report that 35 people had to be rescued and 14,790 people have been
evacuated in total. Around 2,000 of the evacuees were soon able to
return to their homes.
Karagandy region is thought to be the worst
affected area after local rivers, including the River Nura overflowed.
Floods across Karagandy have forced around 6,500 people from their
homes. The Emergency Committee say that over 1,700 homes have been
flooded in as many as 35 separate villages in the region.
Parts of Kyzylorda Oblast region in southern Kazakhstan suffered similar flooding in March 2014.
The Ubinas volcano emitted gases Sunday and yesterday. (Photo: El Comercio Archives)
April 16, 2015 - PERU - Since the Ubinas volcano re-awakened April 8, gases and ash have been emitted alongside heavy rains.
A massive mudslide was triggered by heavy snowfall and falling ashes from the Ubinas volcano on Monday, according to El Comercio.
Gases and ash have been spewing some 2,500 metres into the air and
the the resultant mudslides cascading down the volcano’s slopes have
blocked off access to the town of Ubinas.
Explosion at Peru's Ubinas volcano sets off mudslides
The authorities are warning for locals to be on alert. The Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP)
had been conducting geogphysical measurements when the mudslide of rocks
and debris began to cascade down the mountain. The team of specialists
from the South Volcano Observatory (OVS) filmed the event.
Near by towns are on alert due to the mudslides as they affected
roads by crossing the Ubinas Valley. At the same time, the communities
are being warned for the continuation of activity and the emmission of
ashes for the next few weeks. Local inhabitants are advised to wear
masks and glasses, according to El Comercio.
The IGP reports that the landslide was due
to the combination of large ash deposits from the volcano’s emissions
on April 8 and the heavy snowfalls in the days following, on April
10,11. Then as the skies cleared on April 12 and 13, the temperatures
rose causing the snow to melt and therefore the mudslide to form.
WATCH: Peru volcano triggers mudslides.
Last week on April 8, the Ubinas volcano erupted causing a 2.5 km column of ash above the crater to reach more than 15 kilometers southeast, covering everything in its path.
For about 40 years the volcano had been inactive, until 2006 when it
began to register more activity. Since then, seismic activity, small
eruptions, rocks and ash spewing from its crater have been a common
occurrence. The volcano has become increasingly active since September 2013. The Ubinas volcano is in Peru’s Moquegua department, 1250km south of Lima. - Peru This Week | Euro News.
April 16, 2015 - EARTH - The following list constitutes the latest reports of high tides, heavy rainfall, flash floods, widespread flooding, sea level rise and catastrophic storms.
Thousands evacuated from flood areas in Karaganda, Kazakhstan
Floods in Karaganda Oblast continue to wreak havoc as Kazakh authorities
are forced to evacuate dozens of settlements, Tengrinews reports citing
the Oblast's Department of Emergency Situations. 1,760 houses have been flooded in 35 villages. 340 livestock have drowned.
A sharp rise in temperature to 20 degrees Centigrade between March 23 to
29 intensified the melting of snow and caused flooding of villages in
Semey and Ayagoz districts in East Kazakhstan Oblast and of four
districts in Karaganda Oblast.
The second wave of floods began on April 6 as a result of another sharp
rise in temperatures, again to 20 degrees Centigrade, creating a threat
of flooding of settlements in Karaganda and Akmola Oblasts in central
Kazakhstan. Moreover, the threat now extends to Astana suburbs located
near the riverbed of Nura.
On
April 11, Jumabek dam near the village of the same name was partially
washed away by the meltwater and the water started flooding the homes of
local residents, the Emergency Situations Department of Karaganda
Oblast informed.
All in all, 17 homes were flooded in the area, 42 people evacuated and hundreds of livestock driven away.
"To carry out rescue operations and mitigate the consequences, fire
service and rescue teams of the Department of Emergency Situations of
Almaty and Karaganda Oblasts were dispatched," said the press service of
the Department of Emergency Situations.
In addition to the Almaty rescuers, 138 soldiers of the military unit
number 52859 of the Ministry of Defense and military unit number 5451 of
the National Guard helped in the operation.
Snowmelt floods in Kazakhstan, April 2015. Photo: Emergency Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Kazakhstan
Snowmelt floods in Kazakhstan, April 2015. Photo: Emergency Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Kazakhstan
Snowmelt floods in Kazakhstan, April 2015. Photo: Emergency Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Kazakhstan
The Department of Emergency Situations added that meltwater scoured some
of the roads in the area, especially in lowlands in Zhanaarkinskyi and
Abai districts.
The village of Aksu in Shet district saw all of its 150
residents evacuated after the Sherubai-Nur river spilled out of its
banks.
All the villagers of Zhastlek in Bukharzhyrau district were evacuated, too - 24 houses were flooded.
In the village of Saken Seifulin everybody was evacuated together with their livestock.
100 people were evacuated in Abay district.They were
temporarily settled in a school building. Rescuers are erecting sand
dams to save villages and towns from getting flooded.
WATCH: Massive flooding in Kazakhstan.
It is also reported that the threat of flooding is hanging over Sarytobe village.All 350 villagers were taken on a train to a school building in the nearby Kokpekty village.
In the village of Yntaly of Karkarala District, 148 homes and 150 barns remain flooded. 718 people were evacuated.
Rescuers from Almaty and an operational-rescue team from South
Kazakhstan Oblast arrived to help the regional services battle the
disaster.
Strengthening and building of dikes is underway in all the settlements.
Observation posts have been put in place to monitor the situation. Water
is being pumped away from the houses. Protective dams are being
constructed.
Four dead in massive flooding in Southern US; rockslides close roads in West Virginia, Kentucky
Heavy rain continues to affect the South and the Gulf Coast, bringing
fatal flash flooding to Louisiana and stranding drivers on impassable
roads across multiple states. Water rescues have been ongoing in parts
of Kentucky and West Virginia as more unwanted heavy rain swamps the
soggy region.
Louisiana has been particularly hard hit by the flooding and at least
three people died Tuesday. Three-year-old Remy Dufrene died after
floodwaters swept the boy into a drainage ditch in Lafourche Parish. In
Kenner, Louisiana, a mother and her daughter drowned
after their SUV veered off the road and submerged in a local,
rain-swollen canal, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office confirms.
A Kentucky man was found dead in a creek after search and rescue teams located his submerged vehicle.
"Impulses of upper-level energy combined with plenty of moisture from
the Gulf of Mexico will keep the South unsettled through the end of the
week. As a result, the threat of localized flooding will continue in
parts of the region where rain or thunderstorms persist in any one
location for too long," weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce said.
The storms also created a dangerous situation when lightning ignited a
few storage tanks in western Texas Sunday night, according to The
Associated Press. Hundreds of miles away, a mother and daughter were
injured by a lightning strike in Macclenny, Florida.
Here are the latest impacts from several of the states affected by this round of flooding.
On top of the rain, lightning struck a major water main in Mobile last
night, cutting off water service to local businesses and flooding roads
in South Mobile County.
That same lightning strike caused a structure to catch fire, but no word is out on other impacts.
Northeast of Orlando, Deltona residents are wondering why a brand-new
$750,000 pump station did very little to keep the heavy rain from
flooding the streets. WESH.com reported some residents sustained thousands of dollars in damage to their homes after being assured the pumps would keep the water away.
"It was built to solve this problem so we're just really frustrated," resident Beth Ojalvo told WESH.com.
Some of the first severe impacts from this storm system came early Monday morning when a local storm spotter reported 11 inches of rain near Cottondale. The town of Alford reported more than 10 inches of rain as well.
Kentucky
Residents of Carter County experienced another round of flood waters inundating homes, businesses and cars
Tuesday, WSAZ reported. Resident Gennie Boley told WSAZ, "This morning,
I woke up to a little bit out here and within the last couple of hours
now, it's all of this again, in my basement and garage again."
A Lincoln County school bus was nearly stranded in high waters,
facing the driver with a difficult decision, WKYT reported. "The water
was overflow from a creek. It was not moving. I know the road and the
lay of the land and felt confident that I could safely drive through it
without compromising the safety of the students on the bus. And that is
what I did. I made the best decision that I could in difficult
circumstances," the driver said in an official statement from the school
system. No one was hurt.
Businesses in Liberty, Kentucky, evacuated Tuesday, including the local
H&R Block, which is in the midst of its busiest time of the year.
Kentucky Highway 699 remains closed after a massive rockslide blocked
the roadway in both directions near Cutshin late Tuesday afternoon, the
National Weather Service reported.
Another large rockslide closed Kentucky 1274
in Menifee County Tuesday, WKYT said. Heavy rains caused a massive
boulder and several other stones to fall, blocking both lanes of the
road. The road was later reopened:
Businesses
along the U.S. 127 bypass near Yosemite were told to evacuate due to
flooding Tuesday afternoon, according to local storm reports. The order
came after several water rescues were performed in the area.
Flooding has been a constant concern for many Kentucky towns this
spring, as relentless rains and snowmelt have pushed rivers to their
brink. In the town of Paris, located just a few dozen miles northeast of
Lexington in Bourbon County, residents are cleaning out their sodden
homes after a round of flooding left widespread damage, and they're
worried that this week's rain will only cause more problems.
"It starts raining and we are going to start getting paranoid you know. And I say here we go again," Paris resident Mike Herrington told LEX18.com.
Not far from Paris, the towns of Salt Lick and Jeffersonville reported
flooding Tuesday morning, according to local storm reports. A water
rescue was necessary in Salt Lick when a small stream overflowed its
banks and the water went into a nearby home, the report added.
Louisiana
3-year-old Remy Dufrene was killed in Lafourche Parish Tuesday after
falling into a drainage ditch and being swept away by the swift current,
the Associated Press reported.
The current, strengthened by torrential rains, carried the boy 75 yards
downstream where his father Drake Dufrene discovered the body and
unsuccessfully attempted to revive him.
CBS 4 reports that a woman and her daughter both died after their SUV veered off the road and submerged in a local canal in Kenner, Louisiana.
A group of people attempted to rescue 32-year-old Elizabeth Braddock and
her 6-year-old daughter Carrisa Wise, but by the time they could flip
the submerged SUV, it was too late to revive the pair.
Torrential rainfall led to serious problems in eastern Louisiana Tuesday
morning. In areas near Slidell, 3.4 inches of rain fell in one hour,
according to local storm reports.
A handful of towns reported street flooding as the heavy rain fell
Tuesday morning, all in southern Louisiana. According to the Associated
Press, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway bridge was closed Tuesday morning
due to the heavy rain.
An elderly woman leaving her trailer to seek shelter was swept up by flood waters
in Hancock County Tuesday, WLOX-TV reported. Luckily, the woman's
neighbors were close enough to help and pulled her from the quick
current. Due to the heavy rainfall, roads in the county resemble creeks.
Flooding concerns began late Tuesday morning for the state, especially
along the Gulf Coast. Several roads in the Picayune area were deemed
impassable by the local police department, according to local storm
reports. Near Beatrice, a roadway had to be barricaded after it was
covered in floodwaters.
The National Weather Service confirmedan EF1 tornadotouched
down in Scott County during a round of rain and severe weather Monday
night. The tornado snapped several trees, blew a roof off a barn and
damaged the roof of a home. The NWS confirmed an additionaltwo EF0 tornadoes, which touched down in Leake and Hinds counties and caused minor damage to homes and other structures.
Texas
A massive boulder fell during a large rockslide
Tuesday afternoon, blocking Blue Creek Road in Kanawha County, WSAZ-TV
reported. Authorities estimate the road will remain closed for several
hours.
A major landslide that has been moving for weeks at Charleston's Yeager Airport slipped yet again Tuesday morning, and emergency crews scrambled to respond to the latest movement.
Emergency water channels have been dug by crews near the airport, wherea landslidetook out a chunk of a runway, according to WCHS-TV. There have been no evacuations, the report added.
Flooding became a major concern in the Mountain State Tuesday morning.
Street flooding was reported in several towns, and multiple water
rescues occurred early in the morning.
Multiple roads were closed near Spencer and homes in Sissonville were surrounded by water, according to local storm reports.
JRC Report: Extreme Floods in Europe to Double Over Next 30 Years
Flood damages across Europe as the climate warms are likely to be
considerably higher than previously thought, according to new research,
reports Roz Pidcock for Carbon Brief.
Without efforts to reduce emissions, extreme river floods now occurring every 100 years will become twice as likely in the next three decades, according to scientists from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre.
That
means we can expect climate-related damages to land, property and
people across Europe to increase by an average of 200% by century-end,
say the authors.
At current emissions rates, limiting global average temperature rise to 2C looks increasingly unlikely, lead author Dr Lorenzo Alfieri told
a press conference this morning. That means there is a need for
scientists to assess the impacts of higher levels of warming, he said.
The
researchers examined how flood risk in Europe is likely to change under
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s highest
emissions scenario, RCP8.5. This scenario projects 5 to 6 C of warming
above pre-industrial temperatures by 2100.
The new research makes a number of technical advances that improve
the reliability of flood projections compared to previous studies, say
the authors.
The researchers combine regional climate projections
under the IPCC’s high emissions scenario with a complex simulation of
the water cycle. This captures how quickly water disperses after falling
as rain and how it cycles through terrain, soil, vegetation, the
atmosphere, rivers and oceans.
The study adds in maps of the areas
in Europe most vulnerable to flooding in terms of land use and
population density, as well as the existence of flood defences. This
gives an estimate of the overall flood risk from European rivers
breaching their banks this century.
Flood Waters Rising
The
model results show that of 22 large European river catchments, nine see
an increase in the total average annual rainfall by 2080. These are
mostly located in northern and Eastern Europe, with the largest changes
in Iceland and Scandinavia (blue areas in the left map below). In seven
southern European regions,annual average rainfall decreases (red areas).
When the team looked at the maximum rain falling in a single day – a
measure of extreme precipitation – they found it increased in 15 out of
22 European regions by 2080 compared to 1990 (blue areas in the right
hand map above). No areas saw a decrease, the authors note.
But
the link between heavy rainfall and flooding events is not
straightforward. Altered rainfall patterns interact with changes to
other hydrological processes, such as an increase in the rate of
evaporation in plants and less snow falling, which means less meltwater
runoff. This is why scientists see differences in future patterns of
rainfall and flooding in some regions. Damage Done
Overall,
the new research projects that the amount of water flowing in large
European rivers will increase in 73% of the study area by 2080. This is
shown by the blue lines in the map below. Taking into account the size
of the rivers and the projected changes, this corresponds to an average
increase in water flow of 8% by 2080 compared with 1990.
The authors conclude that changes to rainfall and streamflow mean
that across Europe, extreme floods are likely to double in frequency
within the next three decades. For example, floods that used to happen
about every 100 years will start to occur every 50 years instead.
A
doubling in frequency of these extreme events corresponds to a tripling
in the expected damage by the end of the century in Europe, Alfieri
told journalists today.
The increase in flood damage is due mostly
to arise in the frequency of extreme flooding events rather than the
magnitude, as previous studies have stated, Alfieri added.
The damage caused is also a consequence of whether or not the water level breaches flood defences. A recent paper by Alfieri and colleagues explains:
“[A]
substantial increase in the frequency of peak flows below the
protection level is likely to have a lower impact, in terms of
population affected and economic losses, in comparison to a small but
significant change in extreme events causing settled areas to be
inundated by the flood flow.”
You can read more about Alfieri’s research on European flood risk here and here, or watch today’s press conference again on the EGU website.
His results on projected flood-related damages have been submitted for
publication in the journal Global Environmental Change, and are
currently under review.
April 14, 2015 - EARTH - The following list constitutes the latest reports of high tides, heavy rainfall, flash floods, widespread flooding, sea level rise and catastrophic storms.
Heavy rainfall brings flooding to parts of North Texas
A Flash Flood Warning has expired for Collin County and parts of Denton
and Grayson Counties after one to two inches of rain fell over Tarrant
and Denton Counties earlier Monday.
Meteorologists expected scattered showers and thunderstorms to hit North
Texas overnight. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch was issued for counties in
the southern portion of the WFAA viewing area through 11 p.m. Monday,
but it was later canceled.
For Celia de la Cruz, these April showers are bringing massive headaches.
"It just comes this way and heads that way; it's just horrible," she said.
De la Cruz was talking about the gushing, rushing water that turned her
quiet Fort Worth street into raging rapids on Monday. Her neighbor shot
incredible video of the water rushing through backyards and funneling
onto Carleton Avenue near Interstate 30 and Hulen Street.
She tried to barricade her fence to keep the water out of her backyard, but was unsuccessful.
"It's shocking that it'll just bust through there," de la Cruz said.
Floods in Fort Worth, April 2015. Photo: Fort Worth Police Department, who urged drivers to use caution in flooded areas
Rainfall totals for Fort Worth and parts of Texas, 13 April 2015. Image: NOAA
Flooding at Jacksboro Highway & Ephraim
Car stranded at Hulen and I-30
Now her fence is broken, her yard is a mess, and her swimming pool is
brown with muddy rainwater (and whatever else was picked up in the alley
as the water flowed down).
It all happened Monday morning around 10 a.m., when downpours hit Fort
Worth. The gushing waters also ripped up two roads in the area.
On the next street over, city crews were hard at work clearing debris
from roads and patching up the holes. It's a road they've been down
before.
"It's a real challenge," City Council member Dennis Shingleton observed. "It's heartbreaking."
WATCH: Rain water floods Fort Worth neighborhood.
WATCH: Dumpster floats down flooded Denton street.
Shingleton said the city is well aware this area is a flooding target.
Exactly one week from now, the city will begin work on a retention basin
near Camp Bowie Boulevard that is designed to reduce — but not
eradicate — flooding damage in the future.
The project will be at the corner of Western and Bryce Avenues, and is called a "drainage improvement project."
"We can do things to mitigate the damage and mitigate the water, but we
can't totally fix it and call it a done deal," Shingleton said.
"It is really scary when it's happening, you know?" de la Cruz said. "I'm not going to lie. It's just awful."
Flash flooding closes roads in Alabama
Flash floods hit Alabama.
An afternoon and evening filled with rainfall is causing flooding in some areas of the county.
A Flash Flood Warning remains in effect until 2:45am for southwestern
Mobile County. Doppler estimated rainfall totals of over 7 to 8 inches
have fallen near Grand Bay.
Multiple roads have been closed in southwestern Mobile County,
including Ramsey Road, Highway 188, McGehee and AL 188, Potter Tract and
Cemetery, Old Pascagoula, Serenity Gardens, McDonald Road, and I-10 at
the Waffle House, Three Notch and McFarland.
Authorities say unless it's an emergency, play it safe and stay off the roads tonight.
Meteorologist Jonathan Owens is in the weather center tonight, monitoring the situation.
Meteorologist John Nodar will keep up updated on News 5 This Morning beginning at 5:00am.
Israel sees 'unseasonable downpours', flooding, and the coldest temperatures in decades
Heavy rainfall closed a road near the Dead Sea on Sunday as unseasonable
downpours and stormy conditions continued to lash much of Israel over a
wet weekend.
Parts of route 90 were closed to traffic as the Nahal David and
Nahal Tze'elim streams, which run off into the salt-water lake, flooded
the road. The highway was blocked south of Metzukei Dragot and north of
Ein Bokek by the water.
Police and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority closed to the public
hiking routes along wadis in the area as a safety precaution. The wadis
are popular attractions during rainy seasons with hikers hoping to catch
sight of rainwater from mountainous areas rushing along the riverbeds.
Israel Radio reported that hiking trails along the Nahal
Darga, Nahal Hazezon, Nahal Tur, Nahal Temarim, Wadi Qelt, and Nahal Og
streams were all closed to the public.
In the north, snow that had been falling throughout the weekend
on the Golan Heights reached 20 centimeters at the Mount Hermon ski
resort, which was closed because of the conditions, and during the day bursts of hail pounded Jerusalem.
With temperatures already at an 18-year low, forecasts
called for more cold and rain across most of Israel on Sunday, reaching
all the way to the Negev desert in the south and possibly even the port
city of Eilat at the southern tip of the country.
The rain was expected to lighten toward the evening and then fade away
over the following two days. However, the inclement weather could
briefly return on Thursday.
After last week saw temperatures reach 40°C (104°F) in some areas, a
sudden cold snap brought temperatures down to well below seasonal
averages.
Temperatures in Jerusalem were predicted to drop below 10°C (50°
F) by the evening and could fall as low as 5°C (41°F). In Tel Aviv,
temperatures are expected to range from 10-14°C (50-57°F). According to
the Israel Meteorological Service, average temperatures for Tel Aviv in
April range from 14-22° C (57-71° F) and in Jerusalem from 12-21° C
(53-69° F).
EU Provides Aid for Bulgaria, Italy and Romania Floods
August 2014 – Mizia floods from the air – Photo Bulgaria Ministry of Defence
Last week the European Commission (EC) announced plans to grant aid worth €66.5 million from the European Union Solidarity Fund to Bulgaria, Italy and Romania following the flood disasters in 2014.
Italy will receive €56 million, Romania €8.5 million and Bulgaria €1.98 million. According to the EC statement, the aid aims to partially cover the emergency costs of recovery operations following floods. It will particularly help restore vital infrastructure and services, reimburse the cost of emergency and rescue operations, and cover some of the clean-up costs in the disaster-stricken regions.
Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Crețu said: “The EU Solidarity Fund is one of our strongest symbols of solidarity in times of need. In many cases, the financial aid proposed in today’s decision will help some of Europe’s least developed regions to get back on their feet; it also demonstrates the EU’s solidarity with the 130,000 affected people who need to overcome the consequences of devastating floods.”
Flooding during October and November of 2014 in Italy affected the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Liguria, Lombardy, Piedmont and Tuscany, leaving 11 people dead and forcing 3,000 from their homes. The city of Genoa was particularly badly affected.
Severe flooding affected 32 or Romania‘s 40 counties in May 2014. Transport, water, energy and communication infrastructure were all damaged, as well as homes, crops and livestock. The country was struck by severe flooding once again in July and August 2014, leaving over 2,300 homes damaged.
In Bulgaria, the region of Severozapaden – one of the least developed regions in the EU according to the statement by the EC – also suffered greatly from flooding in summer 2014. Most of the damage occurred in the town of Mizia and in the village of Krushovitsa. A total of 700 homes and public buildings were flooded, as well as main roads and farms. On 2 August the mayor of Mizia declared a state of emergency and over 800 people had to be evacuated. Serious damage was caused to energy, water and transport infrastructure, as well as to public buildings, cultural heritage assets and protected natural areas.
More Flood Deaths in Kenya and Tanzania
Although nowhere near the scale of flooding seen in Malawi or Mozambique earlier this year, recent flood events in Kenya and Tanzania
have had a significant impact on daily life in several regions of the
two countries, and after further heavy rain over the weekend, have now
left a total of 21 people dead since late March.
Kenya Floods
At least 13 people have now died in floods in southern and western Kenya since heavy rainfall first began on 05 April 2015.
Flooding in Homa Bay on 10 April left seven people dead after they were swept away by flood water attempting to cross swollen rivers near Gongo and Kotieno.
Local reports say that the heavy rain has resulted in several rivers, including the Achak, Awach Kende and Oluch, to overflow.
Around 1,500 people were forced from their homes after flood water started to rise in Muhoroni, Kisumu county, on Monday 06 April 2015.
After the recent spate of flooding in Kisumu county, the local government has made preparations to head off any outbreaks of cholera by purchasing drugs to fight cholera and other waterborne diseases in flood-hit areas. Tanzania Floods
Heavy
rain across parts of Manyara Region over the past three days has left
at least 1 person dead and around 300 homeless. The worst affected area
is Babati District, according to local media.
Magugu, Mdori, Mbuyuwa-Mjerumani and parts of Minjingu have also been
affected, although full assessments of the extent of the damage are yet
to be completed.
In a joint study, two Dutch organisations, Deltares and Floodtags,
have developed a way to derive real-time flood maps using a combination
of flood modelling and data mining from social media.
“a better view of what is actually happening during a flood”
Deltares
say that, when implemented in an operational warning system, the method
will create real-time maps based on tweets that people have sent a
minute previously.
“This new method will eventually give crisis
managers a better view of what is actually happening during a flood so
they can make more effective decisions: the right measures at the right
time, in the right place,” said Dirk Eilander, flood expert at Deltares.
Currently,
standard flood-extent maps are derived from a limited number of
sources, such as satellite images, areal images, ground observations,
hydrodynamic models and post-flooding flood marks. Much of this
information is usually supplied after the event. Traditional data
sources don’t offer the capacity to create accurate flood-extent maps in
real-time. Social Media – New Data Sources
The emergence
of social media allows access to new data sources that contain large
numbers of real-time observations from local people.
Twitter has
long been considered a rich potential source of real-time information on
disasters and severe weather events such as floods. According to
Deltares, in the city of Jakarta, Indonesia, the intensity of unique flood-related tweets during a flood peaked at almost 900 tweets a minute during floods in February 2015.
That amount of real-time data is too good an opportunity to overlook.
But
data from Tweets and other social media sources may be unreliable, or
at least unfocused. In order to be of use to civil protection and
disaster management agencies such as BPBD in Jakarta, it needs to be
filtered and validated in some way.
Combining the data processing
and flood modelling expertise of Deltares with the expertise in data
mining and social media of Floodtags, the joint study of the two
organisations developed a procedure to use the thousands of observations
generated by the social media to create reliable, real-time
flood-extent maps.
Pilot in Jakarta
The study was piloted in Jakarta, during the floods of February 2015. According to Deltares, a significant number of 900 flood-related tweets per minute mentioned above included information about water depth and location. However, uncertainties arose because observations were generally rough estimates.
Deltares say that if disaster managers are to use this cloud of observations, the data needs to be filtered, enriched, validated and transformed into easily interpretable flood-extent maps.
Deltares and Floodtags therefore used what they describe as “hydrodynamic corrected Digital Elevation Maps to create real-time flood-extent maps for Jakarta”. The real-time flood-extent maps provided a good comparison with ground-truth photographs in most neighbourhoods in Jakarta.
When implemented in an operational warning system, the method will create real-time maps based on tweets that people have sent a minute previously.
Better still, the process can be used in other locations. Deltares say that this method can be scaled easily for any place in the world with enough Twitter activity.
According to Deltares, the maps are also useful in the post-flood phase for the calibration of hydrodynamic flood models and for insurance companies to obtain rapid information about areas where damage has occurred.
The research was presented at the General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union in Vienna on 14 April 2015.
April 11, 2015 - EARTH -The following list constitutes the latest reports of high tides, heavy rainfall, flash floods, widespread flooding, sea level rise and catastrophic storms.
Kashmir Floods – Officials Say 44 Killed, 12,000 Homes Damaged
Photo: IFRC. A flood victim taking refuge on roof of a house in Srinagar.
Revenue Minister Javaid Mustafa Mir gave the following figures in the state legislative assembly:
44 people died
25 injured
12,565 structures (homes or buildings) were damaged
862 cattle died
211 camps have been set up to house 2,907 families that were forced to evacuate their homes
1,474 tents and 3,287 blankets have been provided to those displaced by the floods Financial Help for September Flood Victims
The floods and landslides in March 2015 followed soon after the devastating floods in Kashmir of September 2014, where over 200 people died.
Chief
Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, said yesterday
that the government will start disbursement of relief materials from 15
April 2015 for victims of the September floods.
He said that the
rehabilitation of flood-ravaged people of Jammu and Kashmir is a huge
challenge and a main priority of the government.
During the Question Hour in the Legislative Council, he said:
“The
government will start disbursement of relief from April 15 to the
flood-hit people. To small-time businessmen and the impoverished who
were not having insurance cover, and affected by floods of September
2014″.
Mexico – Veracruz to Get Emergency Funds for March Floods
Earlier this week the Interior Ministry in Mexico
declared emergency status for 18 municipalities in the state of
Veracruz that were affected by floods, heavy rain and hailstorms.
The severe weather struck between 25 and 27 March 2015.
At least 7 people were killed and 100s made homeless. While some areas,
such as Cordoba, were being hit by intense hail, others, such as
Atzalan, were waist-high in flood water after heavy rain had caused
flash flooding and local rivers overflowed.
Hail and floods Ixtaczoquitlan, Veracruz, Mexico. Photo: Government of Veracruz
Hail and floods Ixtaczoquitlan, Veracruz, Mexico. Photo: Government of Veracruz
Hailstorm, Veracruz, Mexico. Photo: Government of Veracruz
Declaring a state of
emergency will allow Veracruz state government access to financial
resources of the “Fund for Emergency Response” through the Ministry of
Interior. The state government will then provide assistance to flood
victims in the 18 affected municipalities. According to the government statement, the municipalities are:
Agua
Dulce, Chalma, Chiconamel, Chicontepec, Coatzacoalcos, Huatusco,
Ixhuatlán Southeast, Jesus Carranza, Las Choapas, Martinez de la Torre,
Minatitlan, Moloacán, Nanchital, Papantla, Plato Sánchez , Poza Rica,
San Andrés Tuxtla and Sochiapa.
Interstate north of Milwaukee closed due to record rains, floods
Linda Siegel sits along the Milwaukee River at her home in Mequon.
An interstate was closed north of Milwaukee after several vehicles became partially submerged in flood water due to heavy rain.
Ozaukee County Sheriff's Lt. Cory McCormick says no one was hurt when
the water flooding their vehicles in the southbound lanes of Interstate
43 early Thursday. The sheriff's department closed about 100 yards of
the interstate near the Port Washington exit from about 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Milwaukee received 2.47 inches of rain on Thursday,
setting a rainfall record for April 9, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
reported. Madison also broke its previous record for the day, with 1.51 inches recorded between midnight and 4 p.m. Thursday.
The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the Milwaukee River near Cedarburg in Ozaukee County Thursday.
Dutch Plans to Solve Flood Issues at Bentiu Refugee Camp, South Sudan
Dutch flood prevention experts are working on plans to alleviate flooding in the Bentiu refugee camp in South Sudan.
The
camp is notoriously flood prone. It is home to around 50,000 refugees
escaping the violence of the civil war. The compound is around 70
hectares and is situated on low-lying ground that becomes a swamp during
the rainy season, causing already low living standards to worsen. We
have written about flooding in the camp several times. Last year the
camp was under water for several weeks during June and July, and once more during August.
Following
trade and development minister Lilianne Ploumen’s visit to South Sudan
last autumn, a team of hydraulic engineers – led by the consultancy firm
Grontmij – has drawn up a plan to improve the situation.
Floods in refugee camp at Bentiu, August 2014. Photo: UN Photo / Flickr
Bentiu camp, South Sudan. Photo: UN Photo / Flickr
In the
2014 rainy season the entire camp flooded, including the toilets,
schools and hospital. “Despite the efforts of aid workers, UN staff and
the refugees themselves to make the best of the situation, conditions
were terrible,” said Ms Ploumen. “That’s why we sent a water expert to
Bentiu to assess short- and long-term needs.” Flood Alleviation Plans
The
result is a new plan to renovate the existing camp and add an
extension. To ensure adequate drainage, a dike will encircle the camp,
ditches and canals will be dug and large-scale pumps will be installed.
According to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, every possible effort is being made to finish land reclamation efforts before the rainy season begins in May or June. It is a project of immense proportions, in a difficult location, in the middle of a war zone. The total cost amounts to some USD 20 million, with USD 5.4 million provided by the Netherlands. Other financial backers include the UN, the EU and Switzerland.
Dutch efforts focus on drawing up the technical plan and supervising its implementation. Most of the financial contribution will be used to cover the costs of installing the ditches, canals and pumps.
The project aims keep all the displaced persons at the camp – whose numbers continue to increase – and aid workers dry in the 2015 rainy season.
Bentiu camp in June 2014. Photo: MSF
Bentiu refugee camp under water, August 2014. Image taken from video by CARE International
“This is not just about preventing flooding,”’ said the minister. “It’s also about reducing the risk of illnesses like diarrhoea and cholera. Living conditions will still be tough, but they will be improved.”
‘What we’re doing in Bentiu is an excellent example of the added value of Dutch knowledge and expertise,’ said Ms Ploumen. “Most important of course, is what we’re doing to give the refugees better places to live. At the same time, we’re highlighting the major role Dutch businesses and knowledge institutions can play in emergency aid provision.” Ethiopia Camps
In March this year the UN announced that it will begin relocating more than 50,000 South Sudanese refugees from flood-prone camps
of Leitchuor and Nip Nip refugee camps in the Gambella region, western
Ethiopia, to avoid flood risks posed by the start of the rainy season.
Cambodia – Elevated Wells Reduce Risk of Disease After Floods
Children of Kokor Primary School collect water from their newly elevated
and rehabilitated well in Kokor village, Kampong Cham province, eastern
Cambodia.
Photo credit: UNICEF Cambodia/Martina Tomassini / EU/ECHO
In autumn 2013, several parts of Cambodia were severely affected by flooding,
leaving many rural water supplies unusable and unsanitary. Unclean
water and lack of sanitation and hygiene are among the leading causes of
diarrhea – a preventable disease which kills an estimated 2,300
children in Cambodia every year.
With funding from the European
Commission, UNICEF joined forces with the Cambodian government to reduce
the risk of water-borne diseases for vulnerable children and their
families, during and after a flood emergency. Some 98,000 households in
flood-prone areas are expected to benefit from the joint EU-UNICEF
initiative.
At Kokor Primary School, children are eager to use
their new well to water their cherished vegetable garden. “Since the
well has been rehabilitated and elevated, we don’t need to worry about
the rainy season anymore,” explains Lorn Leang Heng, Kokor Primary
School director. The school well is one of the 275 wells rehabilitated
across Cambodia as part of a joint EU, UNICEF and Cambodian government
initiative to strengthen preparedness and build resilience in
flood-prone areas.
Older children run to the top of the 2-level
well and start pumping water, while younger ones gather around the tap
on the ground level and start passing around buckets and watering cans.
“Having two water points means that, while the bottom one is under water
when it floods, the top one remains dry and can still be used,”
continues Lorn Leang Heng. “When the 2013 flood hit, the well was
completely submerged: it took two weeks for the water to go down!” he
adds.
Children help water the plot and pick the vegetables.
Spinach, salad and morning glory (a type of water spinach popular in
south-east Asia) are all grown at the school and eaten together by
students and teachers come harvest time.
“What I like the most? Pumping the water!” says Man Manit, an 11-year old female student.
“Every
year this area is subject to flooding,” explains Tong Phal Long, chief
of Kokor commune. “After the floods in 2013, some of us continued to use
the wells in the village but we had several diarrhea cases. We needed
the wells to be chlorinated and repaired. We needed clean water,” adds
Tin Sen, chief of Kokor 2 village. “Now people have started using
village wells again: they feel more confident to do so because they see
less diseases caused by contaminated water,” he concludes.
In
Kokor 2 village, four out of a total of five wells have been
rehabilitated (with one being raised), benefiting a total of 1 582
people. In most households, well water is used for cooking, bathing and
washing; half of the villagers use it for drinking as well, after
boiling it or using a water filter (the remaining half buy drinking
water from water providers).
“Rehabilitated wells are good for
children’s health and all household activities, including vegetable
gardens,” explains Yin Saron, 53, mother of seven and farmer of chili,
maize and rice. “With no well, I would have to go to the nearest pagoda
to get water, one kilometre away from here. During the rainy season the
area is flooded. I would need to take a boat to get to the pagoda,” she
adds. “It is expensive and difficult for the community to mobilise the
money for well repairs: the rehabilitation UNICEF and the EU delivered
helped us a lot,” Yin concludes with a smile.
This joint EU-UNICEF
initiative has supported the training of rural development teams in
well chlorination and disinfection and of community members in basic
sanitation and hygiene, and taught sub-national officials how to map
wells with a user-friendly mobile application for tablets and
smartphones.
Kajiado
In
Kajiado county, one person was killed after he was swept away in his
vehicle by the overflowing Olkerirai River on Sunday 05 April 2015,
according to The Star Kenya. Two others fond themselves in similar
circumstances the day before and had to be rescued.
Kisumu
Around1,500
people were forced from their homes after flood water started to rise
in Muhoroni, Kisumu county, on Monday 06 April 2015. Local media
say that the worst affected areas include Migosi, Nyakach Manyatta,
Nyalenda, Kaloleni, Bandani and Kondele. The flooding was blamed on the
poor state of the drainage system in the area.
Floods in Kisumu
county also displaced around 80 families in Achuodho village on Sunday
05 April 2015, according to Kenya Red Cross. Some of the families have
moved to churches and schools while others are living in camps provided
by the Kenya Red Cross. Crops, livestock and roads have all been damaged
in the flooding.
The death in Kajiado means that at least 6
people have died in flooding in Kenya in the last week. At least 5
people died in Siaya County after heavy rains resulted in flooding after
local dams were breached.
Northern Chile Floods March 2015 – Facts, Figures and Photos
The regions on Atacama, Antofagasta and Coquimbo in northern Chile were hit by severe floods on 26 March 2015 after a period of relatively heavy rainfall.
Chile Floods – Facts and Figures
Below are the latest figures (as of 06 April 2015) from the government of Chile.
3 regions affected – Antofagasta, Atacama and Coquimbo
26 people killed
Over 150 reported missing
29,741 people affected
2,514 displaced by the floods and staying in temporary shelters
2,071 homes destroyed
6,254 homes damaged
2,265 tons of aid to the affected regions
By Region
Antofagasta
3 people killed
1,452 affected
38 displaced
71 homes destroyed
1,236 homes damaged
The town of Taltal is considered to be the worst affected Atacama
23 people dead
28,000 affected
2,476 displaced and housed in temporary shelters
Affected areas include Paipote, Inca de Oro, Copiapó, San Antonio and
Amolanas, Alto del Carmen Chañaral, Diego de Almagro, El Salado
Coquimbo
289 victims
18 homes with major damage
No displaced
Rainfall Amounts
The only figure available
for the time of the floods in is from Antofagasta, which saw 24.4 mm of
rain fall in 24 hours between 25 and 26 March 2015. The relatively small
amount (compared to other major flood events) is the equivalent of 7
years of rainfall in this desert region. Causes of the Floods
The cause of the heavy rainfall have been mentioned here
. Warmer sea temperatures (attributed to El Niño) combined with an
unusually strong and persistent “cut-off” low pressure system that was
trapped over Chile by an exceptionally strong ridge of high pressure,
resulted in unusually heavy rainfall, according to RMS.
Heavier
than normal rainfall falling on dry desert land and rocks, on steep
mountainsides with little soil or vegetation, resulted in torrential
runoff, which, by the time it had reached coastal areas such as Taltal
and Chañaral, had become a raging torrent.
