Missouri Disaster: “It’s almost as if you’re living on some other planet”

DISASTER DIARY – January 3, 2016

Federal Emergency Declared for the State of Missouri amid Flood Disaster

• Dozens Dead in Missouri, S. Illinois amid Extreme Rain Event.

• Tornadoes, Flooding and other  Extreme Weather Events have left at least 80 people dead, thousands of homes and businesses destroyed or damaged in central and southern U.S. since late December.

“When you’re coming over historic highs from the beginning of time, we kept records by four and five feet,” said Missouri Gov. Nixon. “When you’re seeing 55 close, seeing a house that’s floated, a full house that’s floated into the highway 30 bridge and blowing up, it’s almost as if you’re living on some other planet.”

The White House declared a Federal Emergency for the State of Missouri due to the emergency conditions in the areas affected by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding beginning on December 22, 2015, and continuing.

The areas worst affected by the ongoing disasters are the counties of Audrain, Barry, Barton, Bollinger, Boone, Butler, Callaway, Camden, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Cedar, Christian, Clark, Cole, Cooper, Crawford, Dallas, Dent, Douglas, Dunklin, Franklin, Gasconade, Greene, Hickory, Howard, Howell, Iron, Jasper, Jefferson, Laclede, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Madison, Maries, Marion, McDonald, Miller, Mississippi, Moniteau, Montgomery, Morgan, New Madrid, Newton, Oregon, Osage, Ozark, Pemiscot, Perry, Phelps, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Ralls, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, St. Louis,  Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard, Stone, Taney, Texas, Vernon, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wright and the independent City of St. Louis.

Gov. Nixon had requested the disaster declaration after touring areas devastated by flooding on Saturday.

Recent Disaster Declarations

Arkansas Gov. Hutchinson has now declared a total to 38 counties as disaster areas due to flooding and storm damage.

Those counties are Baxter, Benton, Boone, Bradley, Calhoun, Carroll, Chicot, Clay, Crawford, Desha, Drew, Faulkner, Franklin, Greene, Izard, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Lawrence, Little River, Logan, Madison, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Ouachita, Perry, Pike, Polk, Randolph, Scott, Searcy, Sebastian, Sevier, Stone, Washington, White and Yell.

Illinois Disaster Areas

Gov. Rauner has declared at least 12 counties in Central and Southern Illinois as disaster areas due to deadly flooding. Those counties are Alexander, Calhoun, Christian, Clinton, Douglas, Jackson, Jersey, Madison, Monroe, Morgan, Randolph and St. Clair.

Texas Disaster Areas

Texas Gov. Abbott declared a state of disaster in Collin, Dallas, Ellis and Rockwall counties last week following deadly tornadoes and storms that left multiple trails of devastation.

Major Disaster Declared for Oklahoma

The White House declared disaster in the counties of Alfalfa, Beckham, Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Grady, Grant, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Logan, Major, Oklahoma, Roger Mills, Washita, and Woods.

Mississippi Gov. Bryant requests major disaster declaration

Bryant has requested the declaration for Benton, Coahoma, Marshall, Quitman and Tippah counties.

Major Disaster Declared for Idaho

The White House has declared a major disaster in the counties of Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, and Kootenai and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.

Georgia declares State of Emergency

Gov. Deal has proclaimed a state of emergency due to excessive rain and extensive flooding in Fannin, Gilmer, Gordon, Macon, Pickens, Towns, Troup and Wilkes counties.

New Mexico’s governor declares state of emergency

Alabama Declares State of Emergency as Flooding From Storms Continues

State of emergency declared in Tennessee after deadly weather

Gov. Jandil declares state of emergency in Louisiana

State of Emergency Extended in Oklahoma

Gov. Fallin has extended a state of emergency to all 77 Oklahoma counties after another winter storm brought ice to western and central parts of the state and heavy flooding in the east and northeast.

Armed Protesters Occupy Oregon Wildlife Refuge

Sent by a reader

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge HQ in Oregon Occupied by Armed Protestors 

The occupation began shortly after about 300 marchers — both militia and local citizens — paraded through Burns protesting the prosecution of two local ranchers, Dwight Hammond Jr. and Steven Hammond, who are going to prison on Monday, said a report.

Statement from Harney County Sheriff:

After the peaceful rally was completed today, a group of outside militants drove to the Malheur Wildlife Refuge, where they seized and occupied the refuge headquarters. A collective effort from multiple agencies is currently working on a solution. For the time being please stay away from that area. More information will be provided as it becomes available. Please maintain a peaceful and united front and allow us to work through this situation.

The occupiers have reportedly claimed they had 100 supporters with them at the refuge, federal property managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which was closed and unoccupied during the holiday weekend, the report said.

Ammon Bundy, son of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, and two of his brothers, are among the occupiers.

“The facility has been the tool to do all the tyranny that has been placed upon the Hammonds,” said Ammon Bundy.

“We’re planning on staying here for years, absolutely,” he added. “This is not a decision we’ve made at the last minute.”

Ammon Bundy and his brother, Ryan Bundy, said they are not looking to hurt anyone in a phone interview; however, they would not rule out violence if police tried to remove them. Read more…

Federal Emergency Declared for Missouri

Missouri Emergency: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding (EM-3374)

Incident period: December 22, 2015 – Emergency Declaration declared on January 02, 2016

The White House has declared a Federal Emergency for the State of Missouri due to the emergency conditions in the areas affected by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding beginning on December 22, 2015, and continuing.

The areas worst affected by the ongoing disasters are the counties of Audrain, Barry, Barton, Bollinger, Boone, Butler, Callaway, Camden, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Cedar, Christian, Clark, Cole, Cooper, Crawford, Dallas, Dent, Douglas, Dunklin, Franklin, Gasconade, Greene, Hickory, Howard, Howell, Iron, Jasper, Jefferson, Laclede, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Madison, Maries, Marion, McDonald, Miller, Mississippi, Moniteau, Montgomery, Morgan, New Madrid, Newton, Oregon, Osage, Ozark, Pemiscot, Perry, Phelps, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Ralls, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, St. Louis,  Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard, Stone, Taney, Texas, Vernon, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wright and the independent City of St. Louis.

The Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Federal Emergency and Disaster Declarations (2015)

The federal government proclaimed 43 Major Disaster Declaration [DR 4205-4247] for a U.S. state/tribal area/territory so far this year. Additionally, the government declared two Emergency Declarations, EM-3372 and EM-3373, and 34 Fire Management Assistance Declarations [FM-5084 to FM-5117] for the year to date.

Related Links

• Major Disaster Declared for Oklahoma December 30, 2015