Southern U.S. Flooding Update

Obama Declares Tennessee Major Disaster Area

At least 30 people killed by widespread storms and flooding in Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi

Houses, schools, bridges and other structure were washed off. The cost of damage in the three battered states could exceed 200million dollars.

At least 9 of the deaths occurred in Nashville, where thousands of homes and tourist attractions, including Grand Ole Opry, were inundated. The Cumberland River that runs through the city crested at a 75-year high,  more than 4m (12 feet) above flood stage, afetr 457mm (18 inches) of weekend rain.

Kentucky

At least four people lost their lives in Kentucky where Governor Steve Beshear declared a state of emergency with 41 counties and 15 cities issuing emergency declarations most of them verbally.

“The safety of our citizens is my first priority,” said Governor Beshear. “That is why I urge individuals who encounter high waters to use extreme caution and avoid unnecessary contact with flood waters if at all possible.”

“It’s serious out there still,” said Mark Marraccini, spokesman for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. “These waters are very dangerous.”

Mississippi

At least 6 people were reported as being killed in various storm and flood-related incident in Mississippi, where a tornado from a separate storm front a week earlier had claimed 10 lives.

When the floodwater reached the sky [metaphorically speaking!]

Airplanes are seen partially submerged in floodwater at the Cornelia Fort Airpark Tuesday, May 4, 2010, in Nashville, Tenn. Heavy weekend rain caused the Cumberland River, which winds through Nashville, to over flow its banks flooding part of downtown and other areas around the city. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson). Image may be subject to copyrights.

Meanwhile The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued continued flood warning for

• Buttahatchie River
• Hatchie River
• Little Tallahatchie Canal
• Mississippi River
• North Fork
• Forked Deer River
• Obion River
• S.F. Fork Forked Deer River…S.F.
• Forked Deer River
• Tennessee River
• Tombigbee River
• Wolf River

NWS Red Flag Warning for Colorado:

Strong southwest winds and dry conditions are expected again on Wednesday over southwest Colorado. Gusty southwest winds will redevelop over western Colorado on Wednesday as a tight pressure gradient will remain over Colorado. The strong winds in combination with low relative humidity and dry fuels at the lower elevations of southwest Colorado will produce critical fire conditions.

Extreme rain inundated Tennessee and Kentucky on May 1-2, 2010. A line of severe thunderstorms moved over the states on Saturday, May 1, and a high-pressure system blocked the storms from moving east. Trapped in place and fed by humid air from the Gulf of Mexico, the storms unleashed heavy rain on the Tennessee Valley. By 7:00 p.m. on May 2, rain gauges on the ground recorded between 10 and 19 inches (250-480 millimeters) of rain in the hardest hit regions.

This image shows rainfall totals between May 1 and May 3, 2010, as recorded by the TRMM satellite. The intense rain shown here caused severe flooding throughout Tennessee, particularly in Nashville. Image and Caption: NASA [Edited by FEWW for brevity.] Click image to enlarge.

2010 could prove to be one of the deadliest and costliest years on record for storms, flooding, landslide and other human-enhanced disasters. —Fire-Earth

Related Links:

• FLOODING: Kentucky governor declares a state of emergency Posted on May 4, 2010
• Super-destructive events may strike anytime
• Extreme Rain Events, Floods, Mudslides 2010
• 2010 Likely the Most Disastrous Year on Record: FEWW

• 2010: Year One of Human-Enhanced Disasters
• 2010 Disasters
• 2010 Disaster Calender [May]

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