Flood

Thousands are left without power after ferocious storms and flooding hit Pacific Northwest

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Thousands are left without power after ferocious storms and flooding hit Pacific Northwest

– Thousands are left without power after ferocious storms and flooding hit Pacific Northwest:

  • The record-breaking storms opened sinkholes in several major roads, caused rivers to spill over their banks and closed roads and schools for a third day in the worst-hit areas across the region
  • Outside Tacoma, Washington, emergency officials rescued several people who were swept into the swollen Puyallup River overnight on Wednesday from a bankside homeless encampment, police said
  • A 60-year-old Portland woman died when a tree fell on her house, according to the city’s fire department
  • Puget Sound Energy, a utility that serves Seattle, reported that 37,000 customers were without electricity on Wednesday morning
  • Storms have also left 26,000 customers without power in the Portland area, utility Portland General Electric said 

Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas brace for life-threatening flooding

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– Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas brace for life-threatening flooding:

4, 8, up to 12 inches (30 cm) of rain in one day, in some cases a matter of hours

Remnants of hurricane Patricia will dump between 4 to 8 inches of rain through portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, says Accuweather.com. “There is the potential for some communities to be hit with a foot or more of rain through Sunday night, especially in eastern Texas and far western Louisiana.”

Read moreTexas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas brace for life-threatening flooding

Severe rains continue to sweep Florida: The worst flood in the last 65 years hits Tampa

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– Severe rains continue to sweep Florida: The worst flood in the last 65 years hits Tampa (The Watchers, Aug 5, 2015):

Heavy rainfall which was continually falling across Tampa, Florida, since July 20, 2015, has caused severe flooding in the area. 40 people were evacuated from their mobile homes in Sherwood Forest RV and Caledesi Travel Trailer Park, on August 3, as the water levels varied between 91.4 and 122 cm (3 and 4 feet). The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office described the situation as the worst flood in the last 65 years.

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Massive evacuations as floods hit Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand

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Massive evacuations as floods hit Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand
People carry their belongings as they escape flood waters from heavy seasonal rains on a street in Dayeuhkolot, West Java, December 23, 2014 – photo Antara Foto. About 100,000 people in affected regions of Indonesia’s West and Central Java had to leave their homes.

– Massive evacuations as floods hit Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand (RT, Dec 28, 2014)

Aerial Footage Of Worst Ever Balkan Flooding (Video) – Balkans Floods Trigger Bosnia’s Worst Exodus Since War

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balkan flood

– Balkans floods trigger Bosnia’s worst exodus since war (AFP, May 19, 2014):

TRPCIC POLJE (Bosnia-Hercegovina) (AFP) – Bosnia said Monday it was witnessing “the biggest exodus” since the 1990s war after the worst floods in a century inundated huge swathes of the Balkans, killing at least 47 people.

Muddy waters from the Sava River have submerged houses, churches, mosques and roads in Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia after record rainfall last week wreaked havoc across the region.

There were fears that dead bodies and animal carcasses could lead to disease outbreaks, while officials warned that 120,000 unexploded mines from the conflicts of the 1990s could be dislodged.

“More than 100,000 people” have been evacuated in Bosnia alone, said Stanko Sliskovic of Bosnia’s emergency services, with tens of thousands more displaced in neighbouring countries.

“This is the biggest exodus since the end of the 1992-1995 war,” he told AFP.

Read moreAerial Footage Of Worst Ever Balkan Flooding (Video) – Balkans Floods Trigger Bosnia’s Worst Exodus Since War

Death Toll Rises To 44 In Worst Ever Balkan Flooding (PHOTOS)

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Death toll rises to 44 in worst ever Balkan flooding (PHOTOS)
Death toll rises to 44 in worst ever Balkan flooding (PHOTOS)

– Death toll rises to 44 in worst ever Balkan flooding (PHOTOS) (RT, May 18, 2014):

The overall death toll in the unprecedented floods that have raged across the Balkans has reached 44, as more bodies were recovered from the Serbian town of Obrenovac on Sunday.

In “Obrenovac alone we recovered 12 corpses,” Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said, as cited by the Associated Press. That brings the number of disaster victims in Serbia up to 16, while Bosnia has confirmed 27 dead and Croatia one.

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Record Balkan floods: Over 20 Killed, Tens Of Thousands Forced To Flee (PHOTOS) – Serbia’s PM: ‘This Is The Greatest Flooding Disaster Ever’

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– Record Balkan floods: Over 20 killed, tens of thousands forced to flee (PHOTOS) (RT, May 17, 2014):

More than 20 people have been killed in what has been branded the worst flooding on record across the Balkans. Tens of thousands have been evacuated and 250,000 homes are without power.

The death toll has reached 19 in Bosnia alone, including nine people found on Saturday when waters receded from the northeastern town of Doboj, Reuters reported. Authorities have warned that more bodies could emerge as waters recede in dozens of cities flooded over the past three days. Serbia has seen eight deaths, AP reported.

“This is the greatest flooding disaster ever. Not just in the past 100 years; this has never happened in Serbia’s history,” Serbia’s Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic told a news conference on Thursday.

“More rain fell in one day than in four months,” he added.

Read moreRecord Balkan floods: Over 20 Killed, Tens Of Thousands Forced To Flee (PHOTOS) – Serbia’s PM: ‘This Is The Greatest Flooding Disaster Ever’

Britain Flood Crisis: Thames Bursts Banks – Costs Seen At $1.6 Billion (MUST-SEE PHOTOS)

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Thames-flood

More photos here:

– Swamped by the Thames: Shocking aerial images show wide-scale flooding of commuter belt homes as forecasters warn hundreds more will suffer same fate within days (Daily Mail)

In other news:

– Floods: Hundreds evacuated and thousands more at risk (BBC News)

– River Thames Bursts Banks, Flooding Homes Near London (Wall Street Journal)

– Britain’s flood crisis deepens, Thames bursts banks (Sydney Morning Herald)

– UK Towns Face More Floods as Costs Seen at $1.6 Billion (Businessweek)

– Flood-Battered Britain on Course for Wettest Winter in 250 Years (NBC News)

– British Politicians Blame One Another for Regional Flooding (New York Times)

Southern England Homes Flooded As Thames Bursts Banks

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– Southern England homes flooded as Thames bursts banks (PressTV, Jan 11, 2014):

Towns and villages close to the River Thames in the United Kingdom have been inundated and local residents have been warned for further flooding as heavy rain caused the river levels to rise and burst its banks.

On Friday, the River Thames overflowed its banks, and parts of the river from Oxfordshire to West London were under flood warnings.

Read moreSouthern England Homes Flooded As Thames Bursts Banks

Britain’s coast battered by 30ft waves, high tides and giant hailstones as fiercest storms in 20 years leave trail of destruction… and there’s more on the way

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Photos here:

– Britain’s coast battered by 30ft waves, high tides and giant hailstones as fiercest storms in 20 years leave trail of destruction… and there’s more on the way (Daily Mail, Jan 4, 2014):

  • Environment Agency has urged people to stay away from the sea and rivers because they risk being killed
  • Teenager Harry Martin has gone missing after taking photographs of storm from cliffs close to Plymouth in Devon
  • 21 severe flood warnings – the highest level – issued in South and West with 500 alerts in total across the UK
  • Storm surge began at around 6am this morning – with risk of floods for 4 hours after high tide peaks
  • Stronger winds and waves predicted for this evening’s high tide
  • Streets and homes in Cornwall, Devon, Gloucestershire are already badly flooded after morning’s deluge
  • Police forced to spend time moving on weather watchers after large crowds gathered along the British coastline
  • Motorist died when his car left a Cornish road as storm hit region with torrential rain and hail
  • Met Office expects 70mph-plus winds and torrential rain to batter UK into next week, peaking on Monday
  • A Dorset petrol station had to be evacuated and a house in Wales caught fire after both were struck by lightning
  • River Severn’s banks have broken in Minsterworth

Suspected Death Toll Rises From Colorado Floods As Nearly 500 Unaccounted For

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Videos and pictures here:

– Suspected death toll rises from Colorado floods as nearly 500 unaccounted for (CNN, Sep 15, 2013):

Boulder, Colorado (CNN) — Rain was still coming down Sunday in Colorado, preventing aerial efforts to search for those missing from a devastating flood, authorities said.

“It’s unlikely at this point that we’ll be able to reach those who are stranded in the hard-to-reach areas,” said Kim Kobel, a spokesperson for Boulder’s Office of Emergency Management.

But rescuers continued their ground efforts, searching for what could be hundreds of people unaccounted for.

A tearful Larimer County Sheriff told reporters that what he’s seen, even in the most devastated areas, has restored his hope.

Sheriff Justin Smith visited areas “somewhat cut off from the rest of the world,” he said.

Read moreSuspected Death Toll Rises From Colorado Floods As Nearly 500 Unaccounted For

India: Flash Floods And Landslides Kill At Least 1,000 People As Thousands More Await Rescue

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Soldiers tried to repair a footbridge over the Alaknanda River in mountainous Uttarakhand State during resue work on Saturday.

– Flood Toll Reaches 1,000 in India as Thousands More Await Rescue (New York Times, June 22, 2013):

NEW DELHI — Flash floods and landslides in northern India have killed at least 1,000 people in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand in the past week, an official said Saturday, and with thousands missing or stranded the toll was expected to rise.The official, Vijay Bahuguna, the chief minister of Uttarakhand, confirmed the latest toll in a meeting with reporters. Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde told the Indian news media on Saturday that 40,000 people were still stranded, and he described the floods as a “national crisis.”

Most of the stranded were people on a pilgrimage known as Char Dham Yatra, which takes Hindus to four of the holiest shrines in Uttarakhand between May and November.

Read moreIndia: Flash Floods And Landslides Kill At Least 1,000 People As Thousands More Await Rescue

Flood Misery In Germany As Elbe Breaches Defenses – Fitch: Total Damage Cost Could Be About €12 BILLION

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– German flood damage insurance claims may reach €3bn (The Guardian, June 11, 2013):

As water levels on the Elbe river appear to be stabilising, Fitch warns total cost of damage could be about €12bn

– Flood misery as surging Elbe breaches defenses in Germany (CNN, June 11, 2013):

Soldiers dropped huge sandbags from army helicopters Tuesday as part of efforts to stem devastating flooding in northern Germany after the swollen Elbe River breached flood defenses. A sea of muddy brown water has flowed through two broken dikes in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people from their homes.

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The mighty Danube

Over the past 10 days, floods on the Elbe and other rivers including the Danube have also affected southern Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.

They are the worst since flooding in 2002 devastated the region.

The Czech Republic is now focused on draining the flood waters and cleanup efforts, Czech fire service spokeswoman Nicole Zaoralova said.

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The crest on the Danube reached a record high in Hungary’s capital, Budapest, late Sunday, but the city’s flood defenses held and levels there are now dropping.

The river is expected to peak Tuesday in Paks in central Hungary, and a day later in Baja in southern Hungary.

Flood precautions are now under way in Serbia as the Danube starts to rise there, with some evacuations already taking place.

– Thousands more forced from home by Germany flooding (CNN, June 11 2013):

Floods continued to devastate communities alongside the surging River Elbe in Germany’s northeastern Saxony-Anhalt state Wednesday.

Hundreds of people are being evacuated from their homes in the towns of Stendal and Aken, with the army using helicopters and amphibious vehicles to help move them to safety.

“One-hundred-and-fifty people refused to be evacuated, but were forced to leave their homes by authorities,” a spokesman for Saxony-Anhalt’s Interior Ministry in Magdeburg said.

The evacuation process is still under way.

In total, 45,000 people have been asked to leave their homes in Saxony-Anhalt, the state currently worst affected by the flooding. About 11,500 rescue workers are operating in the area.

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– German flood prevention still can’t prevent floods (Deutsche Welle, June 12, 2013)

Aerial Video: Hurricane Sandy Leaves Ruins And Devastation In New York, New Jersey

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YouTube Added. 31.10.2012

Description:

Aerial footage filmed on Tuesday shows the aftermath of a huge fire in the Breezy Point neighbourhood of Queens, which destroyed 80 to 100 houses. Meanwhile, Lower Manhattan still has residual flooding from superstorm Sandy, although much of the water has receded from around Battery Park City. Across the Hudson River from Manhattan, large areas of Hoboken, New Jersey, remained under water.

NYC: Sewage, Bacteria, Gasoline Found in Floodwater

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– Sewage, Bacteria, Gasoline Found in NYC Floodwater (ABC News,Oct 31, 2012):

Water is everywhere in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy – in basements, on the streets and in transit systems – but the one place that flood water is most dangerous is in your body.

ABC News chief health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser collected floodwater and drinking water in some of the areas hit hardest by Sandy and had them tested at The Ambient Group lab. The floodwater collected in Lower Manhattan tested positive for gasoline and two types of bacteria found in sewage: E. coli and coliform.

“Very dangerous,” Besser said. “Make sure you wear protective gear if you are coming into contact with flood water.”

Read moreNYC: Sewage, Bacteria, Gasoline Found in Floodwater

‘UNIMAGINABLE’ CHAOS: Worst Floods In Decades Hit Russia (Video)

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YouTube Added: 07.07.2012 von RussiaToday

Description:

At least 80 people have been killed in severe flooding, after Russia’s southern Krasnodar region was swamped by torrential rain over the last 24 hours. Dozens have been injured and hundreds displaced, as the floods caused widespread structural damage across the popular resort area. RT’s Tom Barton reports.

Thailand’s PM Opens The Floodgates In Desperate Bid To Save Bangkok

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Floodwaters swamped the municipality of Rangsit, on the outskirts of Bangkok, forcing residents to abandon their homes

– Thai PM opens the floodgates in desperate bid to save Bangkok (Independent, Oct. 21, 2011):

Thailand’s new prime minister last night opted for a high-risk gamble to try and save Bangkok from devastating flooding by allowing some of the surging waters to enter the city.

By deciding to proceed with a controlled release of water through the city’s network of canals, Yingluck Shinawatra and her senior officials are hoping to ensure any flooding to the capital city reaches no more than ankle deep. But they admit what they are doing is a gamble that could go wrong.

Read moreThailand’s PM Opens The Floodgates In Desperate Bid To Save Bangkok

This Has Been The Worst Year For Natural Disasters In US History

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– This Has Been The Worst Year For Natural Disasters In U.S. History (Economic  Collapse, Sep. 9, 2011):

There has been a natural disaster that has caused at least a billion dollars of damage inside the United States every single month so far this year.  According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there have been 10 major disasters in the United States this year.  On average, usually there are only about 3 major disasters a year.  At this point, disasters are happening inside the United States so frequently that there seems to be no gap between them.  We just seem to go from one major disaster to the next.  Last year, FEMA declared an all-time record of 81 disasters inside the United States.  This year, we are on pace for well over 100.  We just got done dealing with Hurricane Irene, and now we are dealing with historic wildfires in Texas and unprecedented flooding up in the northeast part of the country.  This has been the worst year for natural disasters in U.S. history, and we still have nearly four months left to go.  Hopefully after everything that has happened this year it has become abundantly clear to all of us why we need to prepare for emergencies.  The world is becoming an increasingly unstable place, and you never know what is going to happen next.

Read moreThis Has Been The Worst Year For Natural Disasters In US History