Floods & Landslides

[nativeindigo]

I just thought I'd post this news event because it comes not long after the 15-year-old girl from Maine, Kristen Byrnes, predicted an end to Australia's drought. Given some of the other things she predicted, perhaps it's time we took them very seriously. The original article can be found here.


Nine dead as thousands forced to evacuate

Source: AAP

June 10, 2007, 4:00 pm

THOUSANDS of residents in the NSW Hunter region have been urged to abandon their homes ahead of a torrent of floodwater expected to hit the region tonight.

The death toll from the three days of wild storms reached nine today as police found the body of 45-year-old Adamstown man, Wayne Bull, who was swept into a stormwater drain in the Newcastle suburb of Lambton after getting out of his car on Griffith Road on Friday night.

At the peak of Friday's wild weather, five members of the same family were swept to their deaths when a section of the Old Pacific Highway collapsed under their vehicle and it was hit by a "wall of water'' at Somersby, near Gosford.

The bodies of 30-year-old Adam Holt and his long-term partner Roslyn Bragg, 29, were recovered from Piles Creek today, while the bodies of their two daughters, Madison and Jasmine, aged two and three, and their nephew Travis Bragg, nine, were recovered yesterday.

All five bodies have now been taken to Newcastle morgue for formal identification.

Further north, Robert and Linda Jones were killed when their vehicle was washed off a flooded bridge at Clarence Town, while a 29-year-old Heddon Greta man died when a tree fell on his ute at Brunkerville, Lake Macquarie, about 6pm (AEST) yesterday.

Financial assistance

Prime Minister John Howard today offered additional financial support, and his condolences, to people affected by the storms.

"I know I speak for every Australian in saying that the country is thinking of you and we're heart broken by the loss of lives and the tragic circumstances in which a number of people have lost their lives ... (it's) the, tragically, human side of something such as this,'' he said.

"It is an immense disaster.''

While the torrential downpours and gale-force winds of Friday had eased by today, the focus turned to the dangers posed by floodwaters, with the Hunter Valley centres of Maitland and Singleton preparing for the worst.

Evacuation ordered

The State Emergency Service (SES) this afternoon issued an evacuation order for residents of central Maitland, South Maitland and Lorne following revised predictions that flood waters would peak at 5cm above the levee by 9pm today.

Residents are being advised to be out of their homes by 8pm, SES spokesman Philip Campbell said.

"The revised flood peak of 11.4 metres is expected by 9pm and that will cause the levee to over-top,'' Mr Campbell said.

About 5,000 people have been advised to evacuate in the Maitland and Singleton areas since yesterday.

Lower Hunter Local Area Commander, Superintendent Desmond Organ, said police were advising residents not to delay leaving the area, adding that security would be provided for vacant properties.

Evacuation centres have been set up to provide welfare assistance, first-aid, food and transport.

Sandbagging underway

Sandbagging operations were underway at Branxton to protect homes near the river ahead of its expected peak at 6pm today, while the New England Highway to Branxton and Anvil Creek Bridge were cut to all traffic bar emergency service vehicles.

Meanwhile, Premier Morris Iemma said the damage in Newcastle was worse than that caused by the city's 1989 earthquake.

"Construction sites and scaffolding, debris on roads, abandoned cars, homes that were damaged, trees having fallen on homes, extensive damage. It was quite disbelieving,'' he told the Seven Network.

The water also was causing havoc for utilities, with sewage flowing untreated into the ocean from plants across Sydney and the Hunter Valley.

Power cuts

More than 100,000 homes of the Lower Hunter and Central Coast are still blacked out, along with 5,000 Sydney residences, and power may not be fully restored until later this week.

Public transport is returning to normal across Sydney but storm-ravaged Newcastle and the Central Coast are still experiencing disruptions.

Householders affected by the wild storms and floodwaters have been urged to contact their insurance companies to speed up property damage claims.

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1810954579191943401

Landslide Blocks Badrinath National Highway In Chamoli, Uttarakhand After Heavy Rainfall

Chamoli, Uttarakhand: Heavy monsoon rains have triggered a landslide, blocking the Badrinath National Highway in Chamoli district. The incident occurred early this morning, causing significant disruptions to traffic and posing safety risks to commuters and residents in the area. #Badrinath...

thedailyguardian.com

Chamoli, Uttarakhand: Heavy monsoon rains have triggered a landslide, blocking the Badrinath National Highway in Chamoli district. The incident occurred early this morning, causing significant disruptions to traffic and posing safety risks to commuters and residents in the area.
Impact on Traffic and Commuters
The landslide has resulted in the complete blockage of the highway, stranding numerous vehicles and travelers. Local authorities are advising commuters to avoid the area and seek alternative routes. Emergency services are on-site, working to clear the debris and restore the flow of traffic as soon as possible.
Authorities’ Response and Safety Measures
In response to the landslide, local authorities have deployed teams to manage the situation and ensure the safety of those affected. Measures are being taken to prevent further incidents, including monitoring weather conditions and reinforcing vulnerable sections of the highway.

The heavy rains are part of the ongoing monsoon season, which has brought widespread rainfall to the region. Residents are urged to stay updated on weather forecasts and heed any advisories issued by local authorities to stay safe.

Germany experienced the wettest twelve-month period since measurements began in 1881
Wetter und Klima - Deutscher Wetterdienst - Presse - Aktuelle Auswertung des Deutschen Wetterdienstes
Date 03.07.2024

Offenbach, July 3, 2024 – Never since measurements began in 1881 have there been such rainy consecutive twelve months in Germany as in the period from July 2023 to June 2024. (Fig. 1) This is reported by the German Weather Service ( DWD ) after evaluating its nationwide measuring stations. Dr. Frank Kaspar, Head of Hydrometeorology at the DWD : “This record was achieved even though none of the past twelve months stood out as a record month.” According to DWD calculations, an average of around 1070 litres per square meter fell across Germany in the period from July 2023 to June 2024. In comparison, the long-term average for the reference period 1961-1990 is around 789 litres per square meter per year.

A look at the DWD ’s national climate archive shows that over the past ten years, annual rainfall totals have predominantly been below average. (Fig. 2) However, if you look at the time series since measurements began in 1881, the data show a slight increase in annual precipitation in Germany. However, according to the DWD, there is always a change between dry and wet periods. Kaspar: "The precipitation is characterized by a high degree of variability both from year to year and over longer periods." (Fig. 3) The dryness of recent years has now been replaced by a very wet 12-month phase, which has further reduced the precipitation deficit with each passing month. Figures for the press release: Fig. 1


Precipitation total in Germany for all 12-month periods since 1881


Deviation of the annual mean precipitation in Germany since 1881 from the average of the reference period 1961 - 1990.
Source: www.dwd.de/zeitreihen


The graphic shows the variability of precipitation in Germany with changes from wet to dry phases. The value for the previous 12-month period is shown.

The graphic shows the variability of precipitation in Germany with changes from wet to dry phases. The value for the previous 12-month period is shown in each case.

Note to the editors
The three figures can be found in printable resolution as an appendix to this press release at www.dwd.de/presse

Expectations of flooding in Scotland could bring 25 to 45mm in the low land and 50 to 60mm possible in places that are mainly over high ground.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1810966996403572851

Beryl’s Tornado Outbreak, By The Numbers
July 9, 2024 Video
Beryl brought more than just deadly wind, rain, and flooding. It also spawned an unusually high number of tornadoes.

 

[Ca.]

Illinois dam fails, residents told to evacuate area
NASHVILLE, Ill. (KTVI) – Thunderstorms with heavy rains and tornadoes rattled the Chicago area and elsewhere in the Midwest, overtopping a dam Tuesday in southern Illinois, cutting power to hundreds of thousands, and even sending weather forecasters scrambling for safety. A woman in Indiana died after a tree fell onto a home.

Water overtopped a dam near Nashville, Illinois, sending first responders to the flooded area to make sure everyone got out safely, officials said. There were no reports of injuries in the community of 3,000 southeast of St. Louis, but crews were sent to a home where a woman reported water up to her waist, said Alex Haglund, a spokesperson for the Washington County Emergency Management Agency.

Earlier, the Washington County Emergency Management Agency EMA advised residents south of the Nashville City Reservoir, located outside St. Louis, Missouri, to evacuate their homes immediately. Residents were told the community center in Nashville was open for shelter.

“The Failure of the Nashville dam is imminent. Please evacuate your home at this time. If you are in the grey box, you need [to] evacuate now!” the agency said Tuesday morning, referring to the shaded area of an online map.



EMA spokesperson Alex Haglund said a portion of the dam failed early Tuesday, but it wasn’t clear if it was a break or an overtopping. A “secondary failure” happened later in the morning when the dam was overtopped.

The National Weather Service also announced Tuesday morning that Washington and Clinton County have upgraded from a flash flood warning to a considerable flash flood.

The upgrade, according to the National Weather Service, means the flash flooding is a more dangerous situation than usual.

The National Weather Service said 5-7 inches (12.7-27.8 centimeters) of rain fell over an eight-hour period. Additional heavy rain was in the forecast. An 11-mile stretch of Interstate 64 in the Nashville area was closed because of flooding.

“We did have an area of rotation,” meteorologist Zachary Yack said, referring to extreme rotating wall clouds. “And it kind of developed right near our office here in Romeoville, Illinois. … We went and took cover. We have a storm shelter here.”

A 44-year-old woman died in Cedar Lake, Indiana, in the southern fringes of the Chicago area, the Lake County coroner’s office said.

Additionally, U.S. Highway 50 in Lebanon, Illinois, between State Route 4 and Belleville, Illinois, has been closed due to the flooding.

Illinois State Police say they have responded to three property damage crashes in the Washington County area. It is unknown if these crashes are flood-related.

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