March 22, 2016 - CHINA - A massive landslide was captured on camera on March 18 as it buried a
highway in Anhua County, located in central China's Hunan Province.
Despite its scale, no casualties or vehicle damage have been reported.
Chinese state media CCTV speculate
that a heavy rainstorm on Thursday night contributed to the minute-long
landslide, which hit the G536 Expressway at around 9:10am.
Speaking on behalf of her father who shot the video, the woman surnamed
Zou told CCTV that drivers had stopped after noticing stones and other
debris falling quickly down the hillside.
Chen Liping, an Anhua County highway bureau official, was quoted as
saying that a clear-up operation would begin immediately and the highway
would be back open by the end of the following day.
With mountains and hills making up more than 80 percent of Hunan
Province, the region is no stranger to landslides. In July 2014, five
people were killed and over 1,300 homes were destroyed after torrential
rains triggered a number of major landslides across the province.
WATCH: Drivers stop just in time to avoid massive landslide in Anhua County.
February 22, 2016 - ISRAEL - Flash floods hit eastern Israel as temperatures drop throughout country; warmer days expected later in the week
Several Israeli schools and roads were closed Monday due to flooding as
rain and wind bashed the country after a week of unseasonably high
temperatures.
Flash floods in the area of Ein Gedi in eastern Israel prompted school
closures in the area. On Mount Hermon, heavy snow and wind led operators
to close the ski resort.
A group of 10 hikers who were stranded due to the inclement weather in
the Negev, next to the Ramon Crater in southern Israel, were rescued. A
search and rescue unit was called to the area and safely brought the
hikers out using jeeps, reports said.
The southern city of Sderot also experienced flooding, as well as many Bedouin areas of the Negev.
WATCH: Heavy rainfall and widespread flooding in Israel.
"I don't understand why this happened to us. The last time, the
municipality told us that [there was flooding] because there was more
rain than normal, and therefore the drainage system couldn't handle it,"
a Sderot shop owner told the Ynet news site.
"But what happened this time? There was a normal amount of rain, and
here we are, again with flooding, even worse than the last time."
The rain is expected to last until Tuesday in most of the country, with
sunny skies set to return on Wednesday, the Israel Meteorological
Society said.
The Sea of Galilee rose 1.5 centimeters (0.6 inches) from the rainfall,
an improvement for the body of water, which is at risk of being
depleted.
With the wind and precipitation, cold has also moved back into Israeli
cities. Jerusalem was predicted to experience lows of approximately 42°F
(6°C) and highs of 54°F (12°C) on Monday. Tel Aviv will feature
slightly higher temperatures, with lows of 52°F (11°C) and highs of 63°F
(17°C). Beersheba will see a high of 63°F (17°C) and a low of 48°F
(9°C), according to the IMS.
Similar temperatures are predicted for Tuesday, but they should increase
later in the week, when sunshine returns, according to IMS data.
Haifa and other northern coastal cities were predicted to have gusts of
wind of up to nearly 30 miles per hour, according to the IMS. Tel Aviv,
Jerusalem and Beersheba, meanwhile, can expect easterly gusts of nearly
25 miles per hour. - Times of Israel.
February 21, 2016 - UNITED STATES - Torrential rainfall between Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 February caused
flooding in areas of northern Morocco, in particular in the
Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, including the provinces of Tetouan and
Chefchaouen.
In the harbour city of Larache, Larache province, 99 mm of rainfall was recorded in 24 hours between 20 and 21 February.
In Tangier, around 29 mm of rain fell in 24 hours to 21 February.
The city of Tetouan recorded 22.1 mm in 24 hours on 20 February and 25.9 mm the next day. Roads were blocked and the flooding caused major traffic disruption.
Residents criticised the city's drainage system for its inability to
cope. Some damage to buildings was also reported in both provinces of
Tetouan and Chefchaouen.
WATCH: Floods in Morocco.
There are also unconfirmed reports that a woman drowned in a remote area
of Tetouan province after a group she was travelling with became
trapped by the flood water. - Floodlist.
January 17, 2016 - UNITED KINGDOM - Fed-up residents in a Welsh village are holding their breath for a day of dry weather after 81 days of consistent rainfall.
People living in Eglwyswrw, Pembrokeshire, have experienced rainfall every day since October 26.
As well as dampening the spirits of locals, it has also caused problems
for farmers - who have had to keep their livestock indoors.
However, while Eglwyswrw's predicament has seen it gain international
headlines as well as close in on the previous record, villagers hope
Saturday's predicted dry spell will be correct.
Farmer and local councillor John Davies, 52, described the rain as being as of biblical proportions.
He said: "I think everybody in the village is starting to get fed up with it now.
"The forecast for tomorrow is finally dry weather, but to be honest that's been predicted before and hasn't materialised.
"I think people would much prefer some decent weather than for the village to end up in the record books.
"It is grinding people down both physically and psychologically.
"Our sheep are pretty hardy animals but even they are looking depressed.
Their fleeces are not getting the chance to dry out because of the
endless rain. And I've also had to keep my cattle indoors since October.
Howard Lewis, who runs a Shire horse centre in the village, said he had never seen the ground so saturated from rainfall.The 73-year-old added: "We've had some bad years but I can't remember it raining every day for so long.
"It's making people miserable, all we are getting is grey skies and rain."
A weather station nearby at Whitechurch has recorded at least 0.2mm of
rain - to comply with the Met Office definition of a "rainy" day.
But while there has been no let-up in the rain, those living in Eglwswrw
have at least escaped flood problems as the village stands 423ft above
sea level.
And the tightly knit west Wales community also has a bit to go before it
can claim the British record for most consecutive days of rainfall.
That was set between August 12 and November 8 1923 when it chucked it
down for 89 days in Eallabus, Isle of Islay, Argyllshire, Scotland.
Met Office meteorologist Emma Sharples said the rainfall figures for the
Whitechurch station were consistent with this winter's extreme
rainfall.
She said: "The wind has been mild and moist from the south and south
west. Warm air holds more moisture and the direction of the wind has
been key - the Pembrokeshire coast is the first point at which the rain
bearing clouds meet the land." - Mirror.
January 15, 2016 - BRAZIL - The civil defence authority in the Brazilian state of Paraná, Defesa
Civil do Paraná, report that heavy rain between 09 and 12 January, 2016,
has caused widespread flooding in 49 municipalities of the
state. The heavy rain has also caused several landslides in 5
municipalities.
According to latest figures, the floods have affected over
150,000 people, and forced over 2,000 to evacuate their homes. Five
people have been injured and one is missing.
Defesa Civil do Paraná say that 74 homes have been completely destroyed, leaving 198 people homeless. A further 10,057 homes have been damaged.
The municipalities of Arapongas, Rolândia and Londrina, all within a few
kilometres of each other, are among the worst affected areas.
Over 90,000 of those affected are in Arapongas municipality near the
city of Londrina in the north of the state of Paraná. Only 25 people
have been displaced however.
In Rolândia, as many as 1,000 have been displaced. Over 9,000 homes have been damaged and 50 destroyed. In total, 36,240 people have been affected by the flooding in Rolândia.
Over 1,700 have been affected by floods in Londrina, with 337 homes damaged and 50 people displaced.
27 cm of Rain in 2 Days Londrina recorded 180 mm of rain in 24 hours between 11 and 12 January 2016 and 91 mm the day before.
The city is close to the Tibagi River, a tributary of the Paranapanema River, which in turn runs to the Paraná.
Further downriver, the overflowing Paraná has flooded wide areas of
Paraguay, and Argentina since late December 2015. The heavy rain in
Londrina and other Paraná catchment areas does not bode well for those
already suffering in Paraguay and Argentina.
Bridge and Road destroyed on Rio Pirapó, Maringá
Carlos Alberto "Beto" Richa, Governor of Paraná, visited some of the
affected areas on 14 January 2016 to see the damage for himself,
including the destroyed broad bridge across the Rio Parapó between
Iguaraçu and Maringá.
Rio Grande do Sul State
WATCH: Flooding in Parana State, Brazil.
Flooding affected wide areas of Rio Grande do Sul state in Brazil in
late December 2015 after a period of heavy rain. As many 2,000 families
(around 9,000 people) were forced to evacuate in 12 municipalities
including Uruguaiana, Alegrete, Rosário do Sul and São Borja.
Civil defence authority in Rio Grande do Sul said earlier this week that
56 municipalities suffered damage. Of these, 43 have declared an
emergency, with the remainder under evaluation and proof of damage.
Several rivers in the state have overflowed, in particular the Uruguay River in Uruguaiana municipality.According to the latest reports from Rio Grande do Sul civil defence,
river levels were at 11.18 metres on 27 December, which is over 3 metres
above alert levelsand over 6 metres above normal levels. - Floodlist.
January 14, 2016 - SOUTHERN AFRICA - A major highway in Mozambique has split after two bridges collapsed as a result of heavy flooding that has killed 25 people and displaces tens of thousands in the country, officials say.
Parts of the country are also without electricity after torrential rains knocked down 10 pylons, reports say.
Heavy rains have also devastated neighbouring Malawi, where 48 have been killed about 70,000 have been homeless.
The southern African states have been hit by late summer storms.
The bad weather is expected to continue for several days.
'Stranded in buses'
On Monday, Malawi's President Peter Mutharika declared a third of the
country a disaster zone and urgently appealed for foreign aid.
In Mozambique, overland travel from the north to the centre and south has become impossible aftertwo bridges collapsed on the EN1 highway, reports the BBC's Jose Tembe from the capital, Maputo.
There is growing concern for bus passengers stranded on either side of the bridges, he says.
They have been forced to sleep for two nights on the buses and are running out of food, our reporter adds.
The Licungo River is flowing so rapidly that it is impossible to reach them, even by boat, he says.
These are the worst floods on the Licungo since 1971, our correspondent says.
The Zambezi River has also risen beyond flood alert level on its
middle and lower stretches, making some roads in the Zambezi basin
impassable.
Mozambique's electricity utility EDM said it would take a week to restore power supply in the north.
Most of the north has been without electricity since Monday when 10
pylons were knocked down, according to Mozambique's independent
television station STV.
The pylons are on the transmission lines carrying power from the Cahora Bassa dam to various parts of Mozambique. - BBC.
January 14, 2016 - SRI LANKA - Heavy rain and storms last week in Sri Lanka have left at least 1 person dead and around 200 homeless.
Meanwhile flooding yesterday in the Maldives has left half of the island
of Nadellaa under water, according to a local political leader.
Sri Lanka
The Disaster Management Centre of Sri Lanka (DMCSL), part of the
Ministry of Disaster Management, has reported that severe weather,
including strong winds and heavy rainfall between 05 and 07 January, has
caused flooding, storm damage and landslides in several provinces of
the country.
In Eastern province, flooding in on 07 January 2015 in
Trincomalee district, affected over 8,000 people, destroying 4 houses
and partially damaging a further 51.The municipalities of
Gomarankadawala, Kinniya, Kanthale and Thambalagamuwa were all affected,
with Kanthale and Thambalagamuwa the worst hit. Around 13 people were
displaced in Kanthale.
Local media also reported some flooding in Ampara town, Eastern province, where some roads were blocked as a result.
In Northern Province, floods affected Vavuniya North in Vavuniya
district on 06 January 2016 after heavy rainfall. According to WMO
figures, 71 mm of rain fell in 24 hours in Vavuniya between 06 and 07
January 2016.
Strong winds also caused problems in western Province on 06 January,
with 1 person killed in Mahara and over 200 homes damaged in Mahara and
Gampaha, Gampaha district, according to DMCSL. Local mediareported that several roads in Colombo were flooded because of heavy
rain which caused heavy traffic congestion on most of the exit roads in
Colombo.
On 07 January, heavy rainfall caused a landslide in Hanguranketha,
Nuwara Eliya district, Central province. There was also some storm
damage in the Walapane area of the district. Over 60 people have been
displaced as a result. A fire in the district on the same day forced a
further 100 people to evacuate.
Maldives
Heavy rainfall between 11 and 12 January 2016 in the Maldives has caused some surface flooding yesterday.
Local media reportthat one of the worst hit areas is the island of Nadellaa, where some streets are under 1 metre of flood water.Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) have been deployed to drain the flooding.
Island council president Faisal Najeeb told HaveeruOnline that
almost half the island was flooded. He said, "The island gets easily
flooded every time it rains. But the amount of rain we experienced since
last night is the highest in recent history. We are currently assessing the damage. But it doesn't appear to be too bad," he added.
WMO report that 63 mm of rain fell in Gan in 24 hours to 12 January. Gan
is the southernmost island of Addu Atoll, and therefore the
southernmost island of the Maldives.
Addu City was hit by severe flooding in November 2015 after 228 mm of rain fell in 24 hours. Around 300 families were affected. Floodlist.
After a week of heavy rain, the Mondego River burst it's banks today,
causing some flooding in Coimbra, Portugal. A fireman monitors the
flooding.
January 12, 2016 - PORTUGAL - Portugal's National Civil Protection Authority (ANPC) report that the
Douro, Mondego and Tâmega rivers overflowed between 10 and 11 January
2016, affecting areas of Porto and Coimbra districts.
ANPC had issued warnings following a period of heavy rain and strong
winds that affected the North and Central regions of the country over
the last few days. The Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA)
also warned of high waves in several coastal areas of the districts of
Lisbon, Setúbal, Coimbra and Leiria.
ANPC say that they have recorded over 300 weather-related incidents over
the last 3 days, with around 200 of them a result of flooding. There
have also been reports of fallen trees and landslides. No fatalities
have been reported.
Two separate landslides in Baltar, Paredes municipality, in the district of Porto forced around 10 people from their homes.
Yesterday some surface flooding had blocked roads in the
districts of Porto, Vila Real, Viana do Castelo, Aveiro, Leiria and
Braga.
Overflowing Rivers in Porto and Coimbra
Porto district was one of the areas worst affected by the flooding,
where the overflowing Douro caused flooding in the towns of Porto, Vila
Nova de Gaia and Maia. Authorities say that river levels have since
fallen and the situation is returning to normal. Also in Porto district,
the Tâmega River overflowed causing some flooding in Amarante.
After a week of heavy rain, the Mondego River burst it's banks today,
causing some flooding in Coimbra, Portugal.
Flooded riverside bars and
cafes.
People walk on the bridge to look at the floods.
Authorities reported flooding yesterday in Coimbra as a result of high
levels of the Mondego river. Carlos LuÃs Tavares, District Commander
Relief Operations of Coimbra emergency Services said earlier today that
levels are starting to fall and the situation is returning to normal.
Over the last 3 days, emergency services in Coimbra recorded 88
incidents of flooding, as well as falling trees and landslides. There
are still some roads blocked in Coimbra district.
Two Trains Derailed
ANPC say that the severe weather also caused the derailment of two
trains, one in the municipality of Mangualde, Viseu district, injuring
three people and the other in municipality of Baião, Porto district.
Rainfall
According to WMO figures, during a 24 hour period to 10 January 2016,
100 mm of rain fell in Braganca, 94 mm in Viseu and 65 mm in Porto.
The next day Viseu recorded 58 mm in 24 hours to 11 January 2016, and Braganca 53.9 mm during the same period. - Floodlist.
Train derails as Portugal battered by storms
A
tornado in Matosinhos, mud-slides that caused a trail to derail in
Mangualde, widespread flooding in northern areas and no less than 19
deaths on the roads, Portugal is only today totting up the damage of a
truly desperate weekend.
Saturday began as the two days of horror
were set to continue with six people rapidly meeting their deaths on
the nation’s roads.
It is unknown whether all of the tragedies
were due to worsening weather conditions, but certainly one was provoked
by the wet road surface, reports national tabloid Correio da Manhã as
it detailed the story involving a housewife on her way home from the
shops in Estremoz and a 22-year-old man whose car was travelling in the
opposite direction.
In this case, both drivers died at the scene, after colliding due to a skid.
As
rain and high winds continued to batter the country, rivers throughout
the north and centre burst their banks, flooding roads, homes and
commercial establishments.
A tornado in Matosinhos, mud-slides that caused a trail to derail in Mangualde, widespread flooding in northern areas
and no less than 19 deaths on the roads, Portugal is only today totting up the damage of a truly desperate weekend.
Only the Algarve escaped the misery which saw as many as 20 litres of water falling in an hour in Porto, with winds reaching 92 km per hour.
But the worst was to come in the early hours of Sunday morning when a low-density tornado hit Matosinhos, ripping up roofs and shaking properties with terrifying force.
“It was like an inferno,” said one of the householders.
Four people had to be evacuated with two beachside restaurants left closed for repairs.
As torrential rain battered northern areas, rivers began bursting their banks in Amarante, Trofa, Gondomar, Vila Nova de Gaia and Alcafache, with floods also reporting in Maia and Coimbra.
Roads around the Vouga river became impassable “causing chaos”, writes CM, while houses were flooded in Valongo after the Leça river “rose abruptly”.
It was around this point in the day that a mudslide, due to the extreme wet weather, sent stones and builders’ detritus spewing across railway lines between Coimbra and Guarda, causing a train carrying 10 people to derail just outside Contenças station.
Three people were slightly injured: the driver, ticket collector and one of the passengers.
As Mangualde’s mayor João Azevedo told reporters, if it had been an express train, the damage would have been a lot worse.
The day continued with more than 830 emergencies called through to civil protection services - most of them involving flooding and the falling of trees.
According to the road safety authority, the weekend ended with a total of around 500 accidents, 19 deaths and 21 serious injuries.
Today the situation is still serious enough to feature on news bulletins, but the yellow alert in force in a number of areas is not expected to last beyond tonight. - Portugal Resident.
January 11, 2016 - CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES - It has been a stormy week across California with several El
Niño-enhanced storms slamming the state, resulting in widespread
flooding and road closures.
Southern California has been one of the areas hit the hardest by the
train of storms with inches of rain falling in the major metropolitan
areas of Los Angeles and San Diego.
"Drainage systems have been unable to handle the deluge, forcing partial
closures of roads and major interstates, including Interstate 5,"
AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff said.
"Mudslides, evacuations, power outages and even a couple
of weak, short-lived tornadoes have also been reported over the past
few days," Duff added.
The weakened, scorched earth left behind after an active wildfire season
in California has turned into a major issue across the state, making
areas near the burn scars more susceptible to mudslides and debris
flows.
WATCH: El Nino rains cause massive flooding in California.
WATCH: Driver shows quick thinking as he sees oncoming floods on highway in Ventura County, California.
The 101 Freeway in Ventura County was one of these areas as mud spewed
across the highway from the burn scar left behind by last month's
Solimar Fire.
The southbound lane is open for traffic, but for a period of time on Thursday, the northbound lane was closed due the mud flow. - Accuweather.
January 8, 2016 - UNITED KINGDOM - The River Don reaches record levels and has already burst its bank in
places with another three inches of rain expected before 8am on Friday
morning.
More communities are expected to wake up to flood misery in the morning as further parts of Scotland reach saturation point .
The River Don in Aberdeenshire has hit its highest level on record and is expected to burst its banks in several places tonight - threatening even more properties after days of heavy rainfall brought devastation for many.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Met Office have warned of
another three inches of rain expected before 8am on Friday morning.
Police Scotland said it is dealing with a "major incident"
across the north-east as two severe warnings of potential danger to life
are issued for Kintore and Inverurie, along with 37 more flood warnings
across the country.
Parts of Grandholm in Aberdeen are on evacuation alert tonight as
experts monitor river levels and a rest centre has been set up at Bridge
of Don Academy.
Rest centres have also been set up at Inverurie Academy, Kintore
Community Hall, and Mackie Academy in Stonehaven, where flood barriers
have been erected amid fears the River Carron will burst its banks
overnight.
Other areas at risk include Maryculter, Brechin and Ballater .
Aberdeenshire Council said both the Deveron and Banff Bridges may have
to be closed as road conditions throughout the area are changing
rapidly.
The River Don has burst its banks in places due to the recent heavy rainfall
More than 20 Aberdeenshire schools will be closed or partially closed on Friday due to the severe weather.
The A90 has been reduced to one lane each way at Stracathro and is
severely flooded at Brechin while railway lines are now impassable
between Aberdeen and Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverurie and Aberdeen and
Inverness.
In Huntly residents at The Meadows Care Home were evacuated as a precaution as river levels rose.
Roads across the north-east were flooded and closed while ScotRail
warned of major disruption on the Glasgow to Inverness and Edinburgh to
Inverness lines caused by flooding.
Meanwhile, dozens of flights were redirected at Aberdeen Airport tonight
after heavy rain caused a hole to open up on the runway.
Arrivals were cancelled from around 5pm and departing flights were significantly affected after the runway had to be shortened.
An airport spokeswoman said the problem was expected to be fixed
overnight but urged passengers to check flight details with airlines.
In parts of Aberdeenshire children were sent home early from school as transport routes were swamped by heavy rain.
Local councillor Geva Blackett said: "We've been praying for an end to
it for a week and our prayers aren't being answered - it's bring on
the ark."
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: "The situation in Kintore and
Inverurie and along the River Don in particular is extremely serious,
with severe flood warnings now in place. The impact of this latest round
of flooding is causing transport difficulties and putting properties at
risk of flooding.
"The Scottish Government's resilience committee is monitoring the
situation very closely and we have discussed the unfolding events and
work to mitigate the impacts and ensure the safety of people in local
communities.
"People in affected areas should keep a close eye on the latest
information from SEPA and Traffic Scotland and take heed of the warnings
that are issued.
"We will continue to work with responders and ensure they have the
support they need to manage the developing situation this evening."
A SEPA spokesman said river levels were expected to peak early Friday morning.
He said: "Particular concern is focused on flood prone areas close to
the River Don and River Deveron, which could potentially see severe
flooding impacts. Other areas at risk of significant flooding impacts
today include the River Isla, the lower Tay and Angus rivers."
Police in the north east have warned people top avoid travelling by road tonight.
WATCH: Scotland floods Homes evacuated as River Don burst its banks.
They tweeted: "Please don't travel by car tonight. Folk are getting
trapped in their cars in flooded areas. Check weather reports overnight
and in the am."
Storm Desmond hit the country at the start of December bringing gales of more than 112 mph in places.
It was followed by Eva which brought wind, rain and flood warnings across Christmas.
But it was Frank, which hit before Hogmanay, which brought the most chaos to Scotland causing flooding in many parts.
Audit firm PricewaterhouseCoopers calculated our massive £700m storm bill by estimating the effect on the economy.
They say insurance losses were between £175m and £300m and smaller
businesses not covered will have to fork out between £35,000 and
£100,000 each.
Closing businesses early, power outages, encountering road closures that
delay or halt deliveries as well as employees taking time off for
childcare issues were all factored in to the economic loss. - Scottish Daily Record.
Flooded Lana river flows past homes in the Albanian capital Tirana following a heavy rain on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016.
January 7, 2016 - ALBANIA - Two days ofheavy rain in Albania has caused flash floods, river overflow and landslides in several parts of the country,including the counties of Tirana, Durrës, Lezhë, Shkodër and Dibër.
Civil emergency teams, including police and military personnel, carried
out around evacuations in Tirana, Dibër, Durrës and Lezhë.
Yesterday the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a warning that heavy
rain and thunderstorms were expected in several areas including Tirana,
Lezhë, Shkodër and Dibër. The ministry warned that people should keep
travel to a minimum.
Between 05 and 07 January, 2016, around 700 people are thought to have
been evacuated in total. The country's Deputy Prime Minister, Niko
Peleshi, described the response as timely and no deaths or serious
injuries have been reported.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs said major and regional roads have been
temporarily blocked following landslides caused by the heavy rain.
Flooded houses are seen in the Albanian capital Tirana following a heavy rain in Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016.
In Dibër County yesterday, around 200 people were evacuated in the
municipality Bulqizë of after the Drini river overflowed. The Ministry
of Internal Affairs said today that after efforts by civil emergency
teams, the situation has since returned to normal.
In Tirana county, around 25 families were evacuated yesterday in the
village of Babrru after the Tirana river overflowed. Local media also
reported flooding in the Laprakë district of the Tirana city.
Authorities say that around 4 families were affected by a landslide in
Bërzhitë, although no casualties were reported.
In Fier County, the Shkumbin river has overflowed affecting several villages in the municipality of Divjakë.
In Durrës County around 80 families were evacuated from the
municipalities of Shijak (50 families) and Sukth (30 families) after
flooding caused by the overflowing Erzen river.
WATCH: Flooding in Albania.
Lezha county was one of worst affected areas yesterday. Families were
evacuated after floods in the village of Plana in Zejmen municipality as
a result of the overflowing Mat river and nearby streams. Earlier today
the Ministry of Internal Affairs said that the situation has since
returned to normal in the area, although there are still some problems
on the roads which are still blocked after several minor landfalls.
Flood Mitigation Plans
The Deputy Prime Minister, Niko Peleshi visited the affected areas of
Lezhë yesterday. There he set out plans for central and local
governments to work together on numerous irrigation and drainage
projects across the country in order to mitigate flooding. He said that
2016 will mark a qualitative development in terms of irrigation works
and drainage in preventing similar flooding in the future. He also
proposed to tackle issues such as uncontrolled forest exploitation and
the illegal building in floodplains and riverbeds, which he said have
exacerbated recent floods in the country.
Kosovo
Local media are also reporting that the heavy rain, combined with snow
melt, has caused some flooding in parts of Kosovo. Prizren district is
said to be the worst hit, in particular the town of Mališevo. Some road
and surface flooding was also reported in Pristina.
Rainfall
According to WMO figures,198 mm of rain fell in Shkodër, Shkodër county, in 24 hours to 06 January.The next day Tirana saw 63 mm of rain and Kukës in Kukës County, saw 57 mm.
Neighboring Macedonia has also seen some heavy rainfall over the last 2 days. In Mavrovo 51.6 mm fell in the past 24 hours to 07 Jan 2016. Just over 60 mm fell in Lazaropole in the same period. - Floodlist.
Residents across New South Wales have been
evacuated and rescued as heavy rain continues to batter the east coast.
Above is an emergency crew member wading out to a car caught in flood
waters in Newcastle
January 6, 2016 - NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA - Newcastle has faced its wettest January day in more than 150 years after
torrential rain batters the east coast forcing residents to abandon
their homes, as flash flooding hits Sydney.
The Bureau of Meteorology said Newcastle, north of Sydney,
experienced the most rainfall on a January day since records started
back in 1862, also logging its wettest day since June 2007.
In the 24 hours leading up to 9am on Wednesday, Newcastle record more than 200mm of rain.
Major flood warnings have been issued across the state's east
after the town of Dungog, in NSW's Hunter region, was inundated with
water and locals were told to leave their homes, the ABC reported. An
evacuation order has been issued for 30 homes in nearby Raymond
Terrace, with SES volunteers doorknocking residents telling them to
leave.
Up to 130mm of rainfall was recorded in a 24-hour period at nearby
Bulga, resulting in major flood warnings for Wollombi Brook, with the
State Emergency Service (SES) responding to more than 1,400 calls since
Tuesday and carrying out 21 flood rescues since the deluge started.
NSW Ambulance paramedics have been called to almost 100 motor
vehicle-related incidents since Tuesday morning, with 14 of these
happening from midnight to 10am on Wednesday.
'With the heavy rains predicted to continue, paramedics are calling on
people to slow down and take extra care. Wet weather can result in
reduced visibility, slippery road surfaces and flooding, all of which
create hazardous driving conditions,' NSW Ambulance's Jamie Vernon said.
Williamtown, also in the Hunter region, recorded a 220mm rainfall in 24 hours.
Newcastle airport closed its runway for just over four hours after it was inundated with flood waters but it reopened at midday.
'Flights will recommence this afternoon. Please contact your airline re your flight status,' the airport's Twitter page said.
Further south, emergency crews are trying to reach a group of at least 21 campers who have become trapped by flood waters.
Bendethera Valley campground, west of Moruya, has been isolated by heavy
rains and flooding with at least 16 adults and five children trapped at
the site, an SES spokesman told AAP.
'There has been no direct contact since Sunday... they have been isolated since then,' he said.
The campsite is also without mobile phone reception, making it hard for
crews to understand the conditions in the site but it is likely they
will be running low on food.
Search crews could not reach the campground on Tuesday and difficult
weather was causing problems for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter to land
in the area.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Peter Znijewski told Daily Mail Australia
the wild weather was expected to end later on Wednesday.'We're
expecting the low to move to the mid-north coast. We should be seeing
improvement in the weather this evening and overnight,' he said.
Blue skies have been predicted for this weekend.
But in the lead up to the sunny weather, some suburbs in Sydney
have been drenched in rainfall usually seen over a month in two days,The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Parramatta has received 135 mm since Monday with 86mm of rain falling in just the last 24 hours until 9am on Wednesday morning
SES volunteers are doorknocking residents telling
them to leave. Above are emergency crews use a blow-up boat to get
around on flood waters
SES captured shocking images of flood waters rising around Maitland, north west of Newcastle
Rolling green paddocks quickly morphed into large brown lakes as water pooled in lower ground
Ponies are being stranded amid the flash flooding
on Salt Ash in the Hunter Region of New South Wales as they wait
patiently to be rescued, with one resident claiming she has never seen
bad weather in 44 years
A park in Wallsend, near Newcastle, has been inundated with water as heavy rain continues
The new year has kicked off with some wild weather
after a water spout was spotted off the coast at Sydney's Northern
Beaches on Sunda
Over three days, the city's metropolitan areas have had up to 80mm of
rain, while Frenchs Forest, in Sydney's north, and the Hills District
have recorded rainfall of up to 150mm.
In the west, Richmond and Penrith have seen 120mm.
Meanwhile in Parramatta, the wharf was closed after 68mm of rain had
fallen by 9am on Wednesday, with 127mm drenching the suburb in three
days.
'For the wettest suburbs in Sydney, it's the heaviest rain they've had since April, and it's pretty unusual for January. This is more than the monthly average in less than 48 hours,' Weatherzone senior meteorologist Brett Dutschke told the Herald.
A resident in Hawkesbury, Penelope, told Daily Mail Australia the flood waters had risen quickly behind her property.
'Yesterday morning [we] saw paddock fully [when we] came home last night no paddock,' she said.
In photographs from Penelope's house, which she described to be up on a
hill just outside of Sydney, her paddocks look to be completely under
water.
She and her neighbour have spent Wednesday morning moving their livestock away from the water's edge, fearing more deluge.
In regional NSW, around Bulga, waters are expected to exceed the
major flood level of 4.6m by 9am and reach 5.1m by 3pm on Wednesday,
with further rises still possible.
In Dungog, the Williams River peaked at 8.05m in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
A total of 22 people were evacuated in Dungog - an area that has been
cleared for the second time in 10 months, according to 7News.
Rainfall has eased but BoM predicts the Mill Dam Falls will peak close
to major flood level (9.1m) by 9am, while the Paterson River near
Gostwyck is tipped to peak close to moderate flood level.
A severe weather warning remains in place for the mid-north coast and Hunter region following relentless rainfall on Tuesday.
'Most of the weather will affect the Hunter, particularly the lower
Hunter, before the low decides to move to the north-east probably later
in the day,' BoM forecaster Christopher Webb told the ABC.
'There may be some gale force winds associated as well.
'It's not over as yet. There's still the possibility of a burst of really very heavy rain.'
SES crews from Sydney have geared up to help out volunteers in the
region on Wednesday, but some are staying to deal with flash flooding in
Sydney.
North of Sydney, roads turned into rivers at Newcastle when
flash floods hit the area, sparking an alert to residents at Wallsend to
prepare for a potential evacuation.
SES deputy commissioner Greg Newton told ABC radio about 260 volunteers
were out in force across NSW helping people as winds pick up, with
forecasters predicting gales of up to 90km/h.
'That may cause further issues, particularly with trees that may have
been affected by the wet ground falling over through the course of the
day,' he said.
WATCH: Major flood warning issued for parts of the Hunter region in NSW.
'Our main message for people is if they see flood waters they should
never enter those regardless of the vehicles they are driving or what
they think might be going on.
'There's been 21 instances in the past two days where emergency services
crews have had to go rescue people who have become trapped in flood
water.'
Mr Newton said most of the people who were freed were driving cars and of those most of them were in four-wheel-drives.
NSW Police fined a man $425 at Murrah on the far south coast after he attempted to drive across a flooded bridge on Monday.
On the Central Coast, four tourists were rescued after their car became bogged on a bush track.
The men, believed to be from Germany, called triple-zero about 4.30pm on
Tuesday after they realised their four-wheel-drive got stuck in the mud
in the Olney State Forest, following heavy rain in the area.
Members of the Central Coast Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA) began
searching for the men and about 11pm they found the group on a track
known as Lemon Tree Road.
BoM meteorologist Dmitriy Danchuk said there was more rain to come, with
the heaviest rainfall expected to affect the coast between Taree and
Newcastle.
Authorities have pleaded with the public to avoid driving across flooded
roads as the number of rescues climbed to at least 21 across NSW.
The men were taken to Wyong Police Station where police verified they were not injured and did not require medical attention.
A Westpac Life Saver Helicopter airlifted a heavily pregnant woman from
an isolated property on the far south coast and took her to Bega
Hospital.
Campers have also been warned to stay in contact with the SES as a group remains stranded on the south coast.
They have enough food to last a few days, Westpac Life Saver CEO Stephen Leahy told AAP.
The new year has kicked off with some wild weather after a water
spout was spotted off the coast at Sydney's Northern Beaches on Sunday.
Pamela Pauline, from Pamela Pauline Photography, snapped a picture of the spout at Bungan Beach in the afternoon.
'I estimate the funnel would have been about 500m to 1 km out to the
ocean. There were several sailboats out and about,' she told Daily Mail Australia. - Daily Mail.
January 5, 2016 - CAMBODIA - Cambodian National Committee for Disaster Management, said 107
Cambodians, mostly rural dwellers, had been killed by lightning strikes
in 2015, up 42.6 percent from the 75 deaths in 2014.
Keo Vy, Spokesman for the Management, said on Tuesday in Phnom Penh that besides the fatalities,thunderbolts had injured 77 others last year, up 35 per cent from the 57 injuries in a year earlier.
He said the casualties rose because torrential rains with thunder, lightning and strong wind had happened more often last year.
Vy said lightning strikes occur every year in Cambodia, particularly in rainy season from May through October.
He advised that to avoid the dangers from lightning strikes, people
should stay in homes or shelters when there are strong rains. - Leadership.
January 4, 2016 - MISSOURI, UNITED STATES - A massive cleanup is underway in the US Midwest after three Missouri
rivers reached levels not seen in winter since the times when Mark Twain
was rafting the river as a teenager.
Sixteen states in total issued emergency weather warnings as mass
flooding in the region claimed the lives of at least 31 people.
Heavy rainfall at the end of December, the worst since May 2011, caused
the Mississippi, Meramec, and Missouri rivers to burst their banks.
"Flooding on the middle portion of the Mississippi River and some of its
tributaries reached levels not seen during the winter months since
records began during the middle 1800s," reported Accuweather.
The Mississippi River was 40 feet (13 meters) over the flood mark at one stage, while 17 million people faced imminent danger.
US President Barack Obama signed an emergency declaration, allowing federal aid to be used in the clean-up operations.
Visiting the affected-communities of Eureka and Cape Girardeau on Sunday, Missouri governor Jay Nixon described the damage as "almost as if you are living on some other planet."
Cape Girardeau resident Oral R Friend captured footage of some of the devastation from the air with a drone.
WATCH: Drone footage of Missouri floods.
The strangely-serene clips of the mighty Miss show marooned homes in what look like scenes from a Hollywood disaster movie.
"Cloudy, cold and the waters are rising," Friend posted on Facebook. "I
put it together rather quickly, but it should help give a view of some
of the areas around Cape that are feeling the effects of the water."
In one video taken on New Year's Day, vehicles can be seen abandoned in
parking lots and a quarry is swamped by the historic rainfall.
According to Reuters, most of the 31 people killed during the disaster in Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas had been out driving. - RT.
January 3, 2016 - MISSOURI, UNITED STATES - The swollen Mississippi River was pushing downstream at 10 times the
speed of the Niagara Falls on Saturday, threatening more floods in rural
southern Missouri and Illinois.
Two more levees along its course succumbed Friday, bringing to at least
11 the number of levee failures. In Arnold, Missouri, an estimated 150
homes were underwater.
Speaking in the water-logged town of Eureka, Missouri Gov. Jay
Nixon announced Saturday that he had signed an emergency declaration
requesting federal assistance to remove debris.
"Before you can rebuild, you've got to remove the debris," he said,
adding that thousands of homes and hundreds of businesses had taken in
rubble from the floodwaters.
"When you see a historic flood, we are committed to a historic response," he said.
The flood, fueled by more than 10 inches of rain over a three-day period
that began last weekend, is blamed for at least 25 deaths, 15 of which
were in Missouri.
The worst of the dangerous, deadly winter flood has been in the St.
Louis area, leaving residents of several communities to assess damage,
clean up and figure out how to bounce back — or in some cases, where to
live.
On Friday, searchers found the body of a teenager in central Illinois:
Devan R. Everett, 18, who had been missing since Monday when he and
another teen disappeared while driving a pickup truck.
The search continued for the other teen, as well as two men in Missouri
and a country music singer in Oklahoma. Craig Strickland, the lead
singer of the Arkansas-based country rock band Backroad Anthem,
disappeared during storms Sunday while duck hunting.
"Our biggest concern is looking out for those who haven't evacuated,"
U.S. Coast Guard officer Nicholas Litchfield told NBC News.
WATCH: Mississippi flood surge rushes South as St. Louis cleans up.
The surge in water from the flooding was expected to hit cities further south, such as Memphis, Tennessee, during next week.
Meanwhile, other areas experienced some relief. Receding waters enabled
the Missouri Department of Transportation to reopen all of Interstate
55, which had been closed Wednesday to allow crews to place sandbags and
pumps because it was in danger of being overtaken by the Meramec River.
A spokesperson told The Associated Press that typically, 76,000 vehicles pass through the area on a daily basis.
Interstate 44, which had also been closed for two days over a 24-mile
stretch, was also drying up, and reopened later Friday. A state of
emergency for St. Louis County was lifted Friday.
Nixon called the flood a "devastating force."
"I've just never seen anything this high," he said. - NBC News.
People move some of their belongings to higher ground on Tuesday, Dec.
29, 2015, as the Meramec River continues to rise next to the
Gravois
Road bridge in old town Fenton, Mo.J.B. Forbes /St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP
January 1, 2016 - UNITED STATES - Record flooding from rain-swollen rivers has washed out hundreds of
structures in Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma, forcing
thousands to flee their homes, and 9.3 million Americans still face
flood warnings.
At least 28 people have died in the U.S. Midwest's extreme weather since the weekend, mostly from driving into flooded areas after storms dropped up to 12 inches (30 cm) of rain, officials said.
The days of downpours have pushed the mighty Mississippi and its tributaries to record highs or levels not seen in decades, the National Weather Service and local officials said.
Southern states like Louisiana will be the next to lose homes and businesses to flooding as overflowing rivers push downstream toward the Gulf of Mexico, the National Weather Service said.
The floodwaters have closed sections of Interstate 44 and Interstate 55, both major trucking routes, along with many smaller roads near rivers, Illinois and Missouri officials said on Thursday.
Freezing temperatures in the area in the coming days will cause some flooded areas to turn icy, adding to challenges, forecasters said.
Significant river flooding is expected for the lower Mississippi River, the second-longest river in the United States, into mid-January, the NWS said.
As of Thursday morning, some 9.3 million people nationwide were in areas with flood warnings. That was down from 12.1 million on Wednesday and 17.7 million on Tuesday.
Workers in Tennessee were preparing on Thursday for the Mississippi River in Memphis to reach flood stage over the weekend.
"We're moving things up high and we've got our generators out and got some extra water," said Dotty Kirkendoll, a clerk at Riverside Park Marina on McKellar Lake, which feeds off the Mississippi River.The U.S. Coast Guard issued a high water safety advisory on Thursday for more than 560 miles of the Lower Mississippi River from Caruthersville, Missouri, to near Natchez, Mississippi. It is expected to stay in effect for several weeks, based on NWS forecasts, the Coast Guard said.
Neighbors prepare to check out the damage after floods waters entered their business in Elba, Alabama, December 26, 2015. REUTERS/Marvin Gentry
After deluge, rare winter floods on Mississippi River threaten towns
Heavy rain has brought flooding to towns along the Mississippi River
with Missouri and Illinois facing near record winter water levels. Credit: Alan Piel
Towns south of St. Louis brace for Mississippi River floods
Submerged roads and houses are seen after several days of heavy rain led
to flooding, in Arnold, Missouri, December 30, 2015. REUTERS/Kate
Munsch
Scott Southern (L) and Aaron Walsh, hydro technicians with the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS), measure flood waters with an Acoustic Doppler
Current Profiler in Eureka, Missouri December 31, 2015. REUTERS/Kate
Munsch
Rain-swollen rivers rise across Missouri with widespread flooding
forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people and threatening to wash out
scores of structures.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency to prepare for flooding, and levee systems are being monitored daily.
"All that water's coming south and we have to be ready for it," Lieutenant Governor-Elect Billy Nungesser told CNN. "It's a serious concern. It's early in the season. We usually don't see this until much later." RIVER DAMAGE
Water rose to the rooftops of some structures in Missouri towns and two rivers west of St. Louis crested at historic levels, flooding towns, disabling sewer plants and forcing hundreds of residents from their homes.
Eureka, Missouri, Mayor Kevin Coffey said his town had not seen such bad flooding in 150 years and some of its oldest businesses have been damaged. The Mississippi is expected to crest in the small town of Thebes, Illinois, at 47.5 feet on Sunday, more than a foot and a half (46 cm) above the 1995 record, the National Weather Service said.
Thebes village worker Bobby White said some sewage pumps were shut down to avoid overloading and portable toilets had been supplied to affected areas. Most homes in the town, including his own, are on a hill and should be fine, he said.
WATCH: State of emergency issued in Missouri.
"Most of the people at the bottom of the hill moved out years ago," White said. "If [flooding] comes on the hill, all of Alexander County will be wiped out."
Illinois officials have provided 800,000 sandbags to communities endangered by the Illinois, Sangamon, Iroquois and Mississippi rivers, said Patti Thompson, spokeswoman for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.
Some evacuees stayed with family or friends or went to hotels, while others found refuge in Red Cross shelters set up in the area.
Rick Miller, U.S. property practice leader for Aon Risk Solutions, said it was too early to comment on possible damage costs. He said the majority of the impact will be to the National Flood Insurance Program.
Miller does not expect the flooding, as bad as it has been, to be a "significant insurance industry event" and said the insurance impact of Hurricane Sandy in 2012 was far greater. - Yahoo.
