Deadly Flash Floods Wreak Havoc in S. Somalia, Uganda
Tens of thousands of people have lost their homes and livelihoods, and dozens are dead amid flash flooding across a vast region in East Africa.
Flash floods triggered by extreme rain events in southern Somalia have claimed at least a dozen lives, most of them children, left more than 50,000 others displaced, and submerged thousands of hectares of farmland across the country.
- The flooding in Juba and Shabelle river basins have destroyed scores of homes, businesses and much of the infrastructure in the region.
In Uganda, at least a dozen people are dead, and 25,000 others made homeless, since flooding began on May 1.
- The lively town of Bulembia Division is now a ghost town, said a report.
- “Further down River Nyamwamba is Kilembe Mines Hospital. The 260 bed hospital was hit by boulders wiping away the staff quarters and flooding the rest of the hospital.”
- “The flash floods are attributed to heavy rains coupled with by the melting glaciers on top of Mountain Rwenzori. According to the climate change unit at the Ministry of Water and Environment, only 18.5 hectares remained [The peak has retreated by more than 85%—Moderator] by 2006 out of the hectares that were at the highest peak of Mountain Rwenzori in 1906.”
The Ruwenzori Range. Satellite images of the Ruwenzori Mountains. Images taken in 1995 and in 2012 show a decline in the extent of the glaciers on these mountain peaks. A century ago the glaciers of the Ruwenzori Mountains covered nearly 6.5 km². The glacial recession on the Ruwenzori Mountains is most likely because of higher air temperatures and less snow accumulation during the 20th century
(UNEP n.d.).
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Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events
Iowa, USA
Fifteen additional Iowa counties have now been declared disaster areas following damages and losses caused by severe flooding and storms late last month.
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Michigan, USA
Allegan County declares state of emergency from April flooding in attempt to get disaster aid
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Illinois, USA
Gov. Quinn has asked the Federal Government to declare 11 Illinois counties major disaster areas following the storms and flooding that pounded the state in April.
- Quinn declared a total of 49 counties disaster areas following widespread flash and river flooding caused by extreme rain events in April.
- “For the 11 counties included in Thursday’s request, the teams identified 41 homes that were destroyed, 761 with major damage and 2,715 with some damage, according to the governor’s office. In addition, nearly 80 businesses sustained flood damage,” said a report.
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DISASTER CALENDAR – May 10, 2013 —
SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,037 Days Left
Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.
- SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,037 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human History
- The countdown began on May 15, 2011 …
GLOBAL WARNINGS
- WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
- WARNING: RAPID PLANETARY DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
- Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started
- United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun
Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background
Fire Earth 