Federal Disaster Declarations [Listed in August]

All items on the following list, with the exception of Washington South Wenas Fire (FM-5187), were posted on FEMA website on August 31, 2017  [TW – GH]

Disaster Emergency, Federal Disasters Declared for 14 States

Louisiana Tropical Storm Harvey (EM-3382)
Incident Period: August 27, 2017
Emergency Declaration declared on August 28, 2017
Designated Areas: Disaster 3382
Beauregard (Parish), Calcasieu (Parish), Cameron (Parish), Jefferson Davis (Parish), Vermilion (Parish)

Idaho Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (DR-4333)
Incident Period: May 06, 2017 – June 16, 2017
Major Disaster Declaration declared on August 27, 2017
Designated Areas: Disaster 4333
Blaine, Camas, Custer, Elmore, Gooding

Iowa Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding (DR-4334)
Incident Period: July 19, 2017 – July 23, 2017
Major Disaster Declaration declared on August 27, 2017
Designated Areas: Disaster 4334
Allamakee, Bremer, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Mitchell

Texas Hurricane Harvey (DR-4332)
Incident Period: August 23, 2017
Major Disaster Declaration declared on August 25, 2017
Designated Counties (Individual Assistance):
Aransas, Bee, Brazoria, Calhoun, Chambers, Colorado, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Hardin, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Kleberg, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Refugio, Sabine, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Victoria, Waller, Wharton

West Virginia Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (DR-4331)
Incident Period: July 28, 2017 – July 29, 2017
Major Disaster Declaration declared on August 18, 2017
Designated Areas: Disaster 4331
Doddridge, Harrison, Marion, Marshall, Monongalia, Ohio, Preston, Randolph, Taylor, Tucker, Tyler, Wetzel

Vermont Severe Storms And Flooding (DR-4330)
Incident Period: June 29, 2017 – July 01, 2017
Major Disaster Declaration declared on August 16, 2017
Designated Areas: Disaster 4330
Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Orange, Rutland, Washington, Windsor

New Hampshire Severe Storms And Flooding (DR-4329)
Incident Period: July 01, 2017 – July 02, 2017
Major Disaster Declaration declared on August 09, 2017
Designated Areas: Disaster 4329
Grafton

Oregon Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (DR-4328)
Incident Period: January 07, 2017 – January 10, 2017
Major Disaster Declaration declared on August 08, 2017
Designated Areas: Disaster 4328
Columbia, Deschutes, Hood River, Josephine

Wyoming Flooding (DR-4327)
Incident Period: June 07, 2017 – June 22, 2017
Major Disaster Declaration declared on August 05, 2017
Designated Areas: Disaster 4327
Fremont, Park

Michigan Severe Storms And Flooding (DR-4326)
Incident Period: June 22, 2017 – June 27, 2017
Major Disaster Declaration declared on August 02, 2017
Designated Areas: Disaster 4326
Bay, Gladwin, Isabella, Midland

Nebraska Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-line Winds (DR-4325)
Incident Period: June 12, 2017 – June 17, 2017
Major Disaster Declaration declared on August 01, 2017
Designated Areas: Disaster 4325
Banner, Box Butte, Butler, Cass, Cuming, Dodge, Douglas, Fillmore, Gage, Jefferson, Morrill, Platte, Polk, Sarpy, Saunders, Sheridan, Sioux, Thurston, Wayne

Oklahoma Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding (DR-4324)
Incident Period: May 16, 2017 – May 20, 2017
Major Disaster Declaration declared on July 25, 2017
Designated Areas: Disaster 4324
Alfalfa, Beckham, Cherokee, Coal, Cotton, Delaware, Johnston, Le Flore, Murray, Muskogee, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Roger Mills, Washita

North Dakota Flooding (DR-4323)
Incident Period: March 23, 2017 – April 29, 2017
Major Disaster Declaration declared on July 12, 2017
Designated Areas: Disaster 4323
Benson, Bottineau, Cavalier, McHenry, Pembina, Pierce, Renville, Rolette, Towner, Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation, Walsh

New York Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (DR-4322)
Incident Period: March 14, 2017 – March 15, 2017
Major Disaster Declaration declared on July 12, 2017
Designated Areas: Disaster 4322
Albany, Broome, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Orleans, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster

Washington South Wenas Fire (FM-5187)
Incident Period: June 27, 2017
Fire Management Assistance Declaration declared on June 28, 2017
Designated Areas: Disaster 5187
N/A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

State of Emergency Declared in Illinois as Floods Affect Thousands of Homes

States of Emergency Declared in IL Disaster Areas

Illinois governor has declared Lake, McHenry and Kane counties state disaster areas after days of flooding that have inundated thousands of homes.

Additionally, two southern Illinois counties, Jackson and Franklin, have also declared disasters due to unprecedented flooding.

Up to 7,000 buildings have reportedly been damaged by flood water, and forecasters expect flooding in the northern Chicago suburbs will get worse in the coming days due to water flows from Wisconsin.

“These counties were hit with flash and river flooding caused by more than seven inches of rain over a couple of days,” said the governor.

London Hit by Another Preventable Disaster

Dozens Killed or Injured in London Towering Inferno

PM from Hell: Theresa May’s government could have stopped this tragedy, too, but it couldn’t give a damn!

At least 12 people were killed and dozens more injured, with 18 victims being in a critical condition, after a massive blaze raged through the night at a residential tower block in west London.

An unknown number of residents are missing, presumed dead.

Built in 1974, the 24-storey Grenfell Tower, in north Kensington, west London, England, was home to 120 families. It’s part of the Lancaster West Estate, a sprawling inner-city social housing complex of about 1,000 homes.

The tower had recently undergone a major refurbishment costing the taxpayers the equivalent of $10 million.

Related Links:

• London fire: Government delayed review of tower block fire safety regulations after deadly blaze
• UK government, Theresa May, Housing Minister Gavin Barwell, were warned of fire safety in tower blocks earlier this year, but failed to act

Disaster Declared amid Deadly Wildfires in South Africa

Thousands flee their homes as Knysna declared a disaster area

Wildfires in the South Africa’s Western Cape town of Knysna are causing large-scale destruction, leaving about 10,000 about thousands of people displaced.

Uncontrolled wildfires have destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes, dozens of schools and scores of businesses, reports say.

At least ten people have been killed by the raging blazes that have also consumed several hectares of veld (grassland). said a report.

Winds of up to 110km/h were reportedly fanning the blazes.

Western Cape Premier Helen Zille declared the province a disaster area last month, as “the most crippling drought in century” plagued the province.

Dam levels in the Cape area fell to an alarmingly low of 19%, with only 11.6% usable.

In 2015, South Africa experienced its driest year on record, according to the national weather service.

In 2016, Authorities declared drought disaster in five South African provinces—Limpopo, North West, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga—as worst drought on record continued to plague much of the country.

Drought decimated the nation’s agricultural output, killing livestock, pushing up food prices and increasing unemployment.

 

 

Sri Lanka Hit by a Deadly Double Whammy

Sri Lanka’s deadly floods exacerbate dengue crisis, warns Save the Children – more rainfall forecast

Hundreds killed or missing, and about 500,000 are displaced in the flooding and mudslides triggered by incessant rains, authorities said.

Meanwhile, a surge of dengue fever cases have been reported by NGOs with 53,000 dengue fever cases recorded across the country since January.

“The humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka right now is alarming. The impact of these early monsoon season downpours has been far more devastating than what we’d normally expect this time of year,” said Save the Children Country Director in Sri Lanka.

“We’re particularly worried we could start seeing a further increase in the number of dengue cases because of the stagnant water that the floods will leave in their wake, which is the last thing needed by families and communities that have already lost so much.”

Additional Information:

• http://reliefweb.int/organization/save-children

31.1 million people displaced within their own country in 2016 – IDMC

Conflict, violence and disasters forced one person to flee every second 

Conflict, violence and disasters caused 31.1 million new internal displacements in 2016, according to a new report released  by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

“In 2016, one person every second was forced to flee their home inside their own country. Internally displaced people now outnumber refugees by two to one. It is urgent to put internal displacement back on the global agenda,” said Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the NRC.

Of the 6.9 million new internal displacements caused by conflict in 2016, 2.6 million took place in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the Global Report on Internal Displacement.

Disasters displaced 24 million new victims in 2016, linked to sudden-onset weather hazards such as floods, storms, wildfires and severe winter conditions.

Global Report on Internal Displacement (GRID) 2017

FIRE-EARTH Report: Colombia

• CJ Members
• EAC
• OC Teams

Colombia Disaster Review

[Prepared by FIRE-EARTH Science Team.]

• Report available from FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

 

FIRE-EARTH Disaster Alerts 000116

• CJ Members
• EAC
• OC Teams

Disasters, States of Emergency, Extreme Events, Viral Outbreaks, Wildfires: Brazil, Canada, Chile, Peru, Philippines, Thailand, United States

• Details and analysis are available from FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

Bangladesh Declares Disaster amid Surge in Lightning Deaths

Lightning strikes kill more than 260 people in Bangladesh

At least 261 people have been killed by lightning strikes in Bangladesh, so far this year, putting the disaster-prone country on track to top last year’s 265 fatalities.

Most lightning deaths in the region occur during the warm months in spring, summer and early fall.

India

Meanwhile, at least 93 people were killed by lightning storms across India in the past 2 days, and dozens more have been injured.

The government has declared that it will give 400,000 rupees ($5,925) to each of the lightning victims’ families. Injured farmers may also receive some compensation.

In 2014, a record 2,500 people were killed in the country, according to the official figures.

Cyclone ROANU: 75,000 Houses Destroyed, 200,000 Displaced

“It looks as if the entire area has been flattened by a bulldozer.”

Cyclone ROANU brought strong winds, heavy rains and tidal surges when it made landfall along the coast of Bangladesh. It is estimated that 75,000 houses were destroyed and more than 200,000 people were left homeless. Strong winds of up to 90-km per hour wreaked havoc in the coastal areas, leaving widespread devastation in their wake.

“It looks as if the entire area has been flattened by a bulldozer. None of the tin or thatch-roofed houses in the area are left standing,” said a member of the National Disaster Response Team of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society.

“I used to earn around 300 to 350 Bangladeshi Taka (4.00 – 4.50 US Dollars) per day. My family lived on that income. I don’t have any savings. The storm destroyed my stock and there is no one left in the village who can buy anything,” said a villager.

• Thousands in Bangladesh face a daily struggle for survival in the aftermath of Cyclone Roanu

 

 

Massive Snowstorm Prompts State of Emergency Declaration in New Mexico

DISASTER DIARY – DECEMBER 28, 2015

Up to 20 inches of snow with drifts of 10 feet hit SE part of NM

Gov. Martinez has declared a state of emergency in New Mexico, mobilizing the National Guard to rescue hundreds of stranded drivers.

Officials have closed I-40 indefinitely, with stretches of the interstate also closed in Texas and Oklahoma, said local reports.

“This is a dire situation, especially the eastern half of the state where the storm has hit hardest and continues to dump snow,” said Martinez . “We monitored the situation throughout the night and activated the National Guard to assist stranded motorists.

Martinez has described the extreme weather events as a “serious situation” and asked New Mexicans to stay off the roads until the conditions improve.

“Someone may look out the winter in Albuquerque or Santa Fe and say, ‘It doesn’t seem that bad,’ but it is extremely bad,” Martinez said. “I cannot express how serious the situation is. The southeastern part of the state has 16 to 20 inches of snow with snow drifts of 8 to 10 feet.”

Missouri Declares a State of Emergency

Gov. Nixon has declared a state of emergency in after rain, flooding and flash flooding across Missouri severely impacted the state. Nixon has warned that residents avoid water-covered roads and avoid travel at all if possible.

Meanwhile, St. Louis region became the wettest year ever at the weekend with 58.14 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The previous record of 57.96 inches was set in 2008. More rain is expected across the region.

Weekend flash floods killed at least 13 people in Missouri and Illinois, while the death toll across southern and central US climbed to about 50 after days of severe weather.

Disaster in Texas

Powerful tornadoes killed at least 11 people in Greater Dallas Area, destroying or damaging hundreds of homes and uprooting thousands of trees.

Gov. Abbott declared a state of emergency for Collin, Dallas, Ellis and Rockwall counties, and declared concurrently the four counties as disaster areas.

NWS has issued tornado warnings for Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas, also warning that a “historic blizzard” could hit Texas and Oklahoma with about 16 inches of snow.

States of Emergency in Oklahoma 

Oklahoma has also declared a states of emergency. The state of emergency proclaimed by Gov. Fallin on Nov. 29 will remain in effect, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said.

The following forecast is also issued by NWS:

Major Storm System Bringing Ice, Heavy Snow, Severe Weather, and Flooding from The Gulf Coast to New England

A major storm system will continue to bring a plethora of impacts including heavy snowfall, ice, heavy rainfall, flooding, and severe weather today and tonight. The low pressure system will move toward the Great Lakes region on Tuesday shifting the winter storm threat into Upstate New York and New England.

Meanwhile, the high temperatures are expected to continue in eastern US, with Washington DC reaching 70ºF (21ºC) on Sunday.

Deadly Fires Destroy Hundreds of Homes in South Africa

Fires kill a dozen people, destroying hundreds of homes and displacing 1,300 people

Another deadly fire, fourth in a year, has left 1,300 residents homeless in the Mandela Park area situated in the Imizamo Yethu settlement, said a report.

“Hout Bay residents pleaded for help on Sunday after the fourth fire in a year broke out at the Imizamo Yethu informal settlement.”

“There have been four fires…  The people that lost everything a month ago, they have now lost everything again…” said Hout Bay Civic Association secretary.

Related Links

• Nearly 100 displaced by Marlboro shack fire

Disasters/ Significant Events – Dec 25, 2015

Brazil warns against pregnancy amid surge in ZIKV birth defects

States of Emergency have been declared in six  Brazilian states after a surge in the number of suspected microcephaly among the newborn linked to Zika virus (ZIKV).

In Pernambuco State, about 1,000 cases have been reported. In Rio de Janeiro, about 400 pregnant women are suspected of having Zika infection. About 3 dozen related infant deaths are being investigated. 

Brazilian health authorities are advising would-be parents not to get pregnant, especially in the country’s northeast. The advice follows research that have linked the potentially deadly virus Zika, a mosquito-borne infection, to newborn microcephaly—a neurological disorder that can result in a severe birth defect in which the brain fails to develop properly and the head is much smaller than normal.

“Microcephaly can be caused by genetic factors, infections, or injuries. In recent years, there have been between 150 and 200 cases in Brazil per year. As of 30 November, more than 1,200 cases had been reported in 10 states, all of which have also reported Zika virus infections, says Ana Maria Bispo de Filippis, head of the flavivirus laboratory at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.”

However, the number of suspected infections have now doubled to more than 2,400  cases and spared to 20 Brazilian states (compared with 147 cases last year).

 

Storms kill at least a dozen, injure dozens more, leave trails of destruction across the U.S. South

Gov. Haslam approved the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency’s recommendation to go to a Level III State of Emergency, after storms moved across the state Wednesday night, killing at least two people.

Gov. Deal declared a state of emergency in Georgia for Fannin, Gilmer and Pickens counties through January.

“Following severe weather that resulted in flooding, damage to roads and properties and downed trees, the state is working to ensure the affected counties have access to the resources necessary for response efforts,” said Deal.

Gov. Bryant has declared a State of Emergency in seven Mississippi counties after storms pummeled the state late Wednesday..

Benton, Coahoma, Marshall, Panola, Quitman, Prentiss and Tippah counties have all reported damage,  at least six dead and more than 40 injuried.

• Macon County North Carolina issued a state of emergency after the storm caused severe flooding across the area.

• An unknown number of people were injured after the storm overturned planes at a local airport northwest of the state, said reports.

A large tornado, one of at least 3 dozens, landed in Mississippi and raked along a 240-km trail to Tennessee.

SPC received hundreds of severe weather reports including 39 tornadoes, as of posting. Tornadoes left trails of destruction across multiple states: Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Illinois.

 

Beijing air pollution worsens significantly

Air pollution index (AQI) in China hit a high of 592 on Friday and persisted at 562, as of posting.

[The EPA’s revised breakpoints for the upper end of the hazardous air pollution band, AQI of 401 – 500, is equivalent to PM2.5 concentration of 350.5 – 500 μgm−³ averaged over a 24-hour period.  —Editor]

There’s apparent confusion among officials concerning the severity and duration of the smog events, on the one hand, and the extent of willpower exercised by government to shoo away the potentially deadly pollution, on the other. The official news agency, Xinhua, wrote:

Even though Beijing has lifted the red alert for severe pollution, the capital city will remain in haze for a few more days. [How dare smog worsens “even though” the authorities have downgraded the pollution warning to the lowest level. Ed.]

The Beijing municipal heavy pollution emergency response headquarters issued a blue alert for heavy pollution in the city on Thursday afternoon, saying smog will hit central Beijing and southern suburbs on Thursday night. It called on residents in these areas to take protective measures.

“Red” represents the most severe warning level on China’s four-tier warning system,  followed by orange, yellow and blue.

In addition to Beijing, at least 50 other cities in northern and eastern China have issued air pollution alerts for potentially deadly smog this week.

 

 

Typhoon MELOR Kills 20 in Philippines as New Storm Approaches

MELOR kills at least 20 people, displaces 68,000

The typhoon weakened to a low pressure area on Thursday and moved further out to the South China Sea, after killing at least 20 people, injuring many more and leaving at least 68,000 people displaced.

MELOR packing powerful, destructive winds caused widespread flooding across the central and northern regions of the Philippines throughout the week.

Tropical Depression ONYOK Approaches Philippines

Meanwhile, Tropical Depression TWENTYNINE [locally called “ONYOK” ] moved closer to the archipelago, headed toward  the southern island of Mindanao, and forecast to bring heavy rain to the country.

Floodwaters of up to 100cm deep still covered farming regions about an hour’s drive north of Manila, and were expected to rise to as high as 150cm (5 feet), as waters from other parts of the main island of Luzon flowed into the floodplain, a disaster management officer told AFP.

Recent Deadly Typhoons in the Philippines

• Typhoon KOPPU slammed northern Philippines in October this year killing at least 54 people and forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes.
• Typhoon HAGUPIT [locally known as “Ruby,”] which was the second most intense tropical cyclone in 2014, triggered severe floods and landslides causing substantial damage to the central regions and killing 53 people.
• In 2013, Super Typhoon HAIYAN [“Yolanda,”] the strongest storm recorded at landfall, wiped out entire communities and left up to 8,000 people dead or missing.
• Typhoon BOPHA left about 2,000 dead or missing across Mindanao in 2012.
• Tropical Storm WASHI killed at least 1,200 across Mindanao in December 2011. then

Related Links

• TY MELOR Forces Preemptive Mass Evacuations in Albay, Philippines December 14, 2015
• Ferocious Typhoon Nearing Philippines Ground Zero Hit by HAIYAN December 13, 2015

Tsunami of Toxic Sludge Destroys Brazilian Town

Toxic waste dam collapses razing Brazil Bento Rodriguestown, killing dozens

At least 70 people have reportedly been killed or are missing after a toxic waste dam burst in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, devastating the town of Bento Rodrigues [population: 650.]

The dam collapsed releasing large quantities of toxic waste from mining operations in Germano mine, which is owned by Samarco mining company. The dam, located about 300 kilometers from Rio de Janeiro, is close to Gualaxo do Norte river.

[Samarco is a joint venture set up by the Brazilian multinational mining company, Vale, world’s third largest,  and the Anglo-Australian BHP Billiton, world’s largest mining company.]

“An avalanche of liquid waste destroyed houses, a school, a church, a medical center, carried away vehicles. Many families have been left homeless and are waiting for news about their loved ones. The emergency work is hampered by the fact that the flooded areas are only accessible via helicopters. This is one of the saddest scenes I ever had to witness,” TASS news agency quoted the health ministry of Minas Gerais state as saying.

 

Dozens Killed, Hundreds Missing in Guatemala Mudslide

Hillside collapses on Guatemalan village, destroying scores of homes, burying hundreds of people

At least 26 bodies have so far been recovered after a hillside collapsed on the village of El Cambray Dos, near the Guatemalan capital, officials said. 

The mudslide may have buried as many as 600 people, according to the Guatemalan disaster agency. About three dozens people were pulled out of the mud and taken to nearby hospitals.

The disaster occurred after extreme rain events washed off the hillside unleashing a torrent of mud and debris onto houses in El Cambray, located in a valley about 12 km east of Guatemala City on Thursday.

Drought Destroys Crops in Six U.S. States

Crop disasters declared for 38 counties across six states

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated a total of 38 counties in six states:  Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming—as crop disaster areas due to losses caused by drought.

Disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by a recent drought (Designation #1)

• Idaho: Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Clark, Elmore, Fremont, Gooding, Jefferson, Jerome, Madison, Minidoka, Lincoln,  and Teton counties.
• Montana:  Beaverhead, Gallatin and Madison counties.
• Wyoming: Teton County.

Disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by a recent drought (Designation #2)

• Utah: Daggett, Duchesne, Morgan, Rich, Salt Lake, Summit and Wasatch counties.
• Wyoming: Sweetwater and Uinta counties.

Disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by a recent drought (Designation #3)

• Washington: Asotin, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Garfield, Grant, King, Kittitas, Pierce, Whitman and Yakima counties.
• Oregon: Wallowa County.

Crop Disasters 2015

Beginning January 7, 2015 USDA has declared crop disasters in at least 1,367 counties across 22 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington and Wyoming.

About 99 percent of the 2015 crop disaster designations so far are due to drought.

Crop Disasters 2014

In 2014, USDA declared crop disasters in at least 2,904 counties across 44 states. Most of the designations were due to drought.

Those states were:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan. Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. [FIRE-EARTH has documented all of the above listings. See blog content.]

Notes:
i. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.

ii. The counties designated as agricultural disaster areas, as listed above, include both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

iii. Some counties may have been designated as crop disaster areas more than once due to multiple disasters.

iv. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.

v. The disaster designations posted above were approved by USDA on July 1, 2015 .

Related Links

• Drought and Deluge, Hail and Severe Freezing Destroy Crops in 7 States June 25, 2015
• Crop Disasters Declared in Three States June 19, 2015
• Drought Disaster Declared for Counties in Two States June 12, 2015
• Drought Destroys More Crops in Idaho, Oregon, Utah June 4, 2015
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Drought and Deluge, Hail and Severe Freezing Destroy Crops in 7 States

Crop disasters declared for 70 counties across seven states

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated a total of 70 counties in seven states:  Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming—as crop disaster areas due to losses caused by multiple disasters including drought, severe flooding and hail, as well as severe  freezing.

Disaster Designations due to damages and losses caused by a recent drought

• Washington. Adams, Benton, Columbia, Douglas Franklin, Garfield, Grant, King, Klickitat, Kittitas, Lewis, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pierce, Skamania,Walla Walla,Whitman and  Yakima counties.

• Oregon Gilliam, Hood River, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Wallowa and Wasco counties.

Disaster Designations due to damages and losses caused by a recent drought

• Oregon. Baker, Gilliam, Grant, Morrow Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco and Wheeler counties.
• Idaho. Adams, Idaho and Nez Perce counties.
• Washington. Asotin, Benton, Columbia, Garfield, Klickitat and Walla Walla counties.

Disaster Designations due to damages and losses caused by a recent drought

• Idaho. Bingham, Butte, Bonneville, Clark, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhiand, and Madison  counties.
• Montana. Beaverhead County.

Disaster Designations due to losses caused by severe flooding and hail that occurred on June 3, 2015, and continues

• Wyoming. Converse, Goshen, Niobrara, Platte and Weston counties.
• Nebraska. Sioux County.
• South Dakota. Cluster and Fall River counties.

Disaster Designations due to damages and losses caused by severe freezing that occurred from Nov. 13, 2014, through Jan. 2, 2015

• Oregon. Clackamas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jefferson, Marion, Sherman, Wasco and Wheeler counties.
• Washington. Klickitat County.

Crop Disasters 2015

Beginning January 7, 2015 USDA has declared crop disasters in at least 1,329 counties across 22 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington and Wyoming.

About 99 percent of the 2015 crop disaster designations so far are due to drought.

Crop Disasters 2014

In 2014, USDA declared crop disasters in at least 2,904 counties across 44 states. Most of the designations were due to drought.

Those states were:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan. Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. [FIRE-EARTH has documented all of the above listings. See blog content.]

Notes:
i. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.

ii. The counties designated as agricultural disaster areas, as listed above, include both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

iii. Some counties may have been designated as crop disaster areas more than once due to multiple disasters.

iv. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.

v. The five disaster designations posted above were approved by USDA on June 24, 2015 (posted on their website on June 25).

Related Links

• Crop Disasters Declared in Three States June 19, 2015
• Drought Disaster Declared for Counties in Two States June 12, 2015
• Drought Destroys More Crops in Idaho, Oregon, Utah June 4, 2015
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Crop Disasters Declared in Three States

Crop disasters declared for 26 counties across three states

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated a total of 26 counties in three states: The Carolinas and Idaho—as crop disaster areas due to losses caused by the worsening drought and Freezing condition.

Disaster Designation due to damages and losses caused by a recent drought

• Idaho. Blaine, Cassia, Camas, Elmore, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka and Twin Falls counties.

Disaster Designation due to damages and losses caused by freezing conditions that occurred from Jan. 8,, 2015, through March 29, 2015

• South Carolina. Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Fairfield, Greenville, Laurens, Newberry, Pickens, Spartanburg, Union and York counties.
• North Carolina. Cleveland, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford and Transylvania counties.

Crop Disasters 2015

Beginning January 7, 2015 USDA has declared crop disasters in at least 1,259 counties across 19 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington.

About 99 percent of the 2015 crop disaster designations so far are due to drought.

Crop Disasters 2014

In 2014, USDA declared crop disasters in at least 2,904 counties across 44 states. Most of the designations were due to drought.

Those states were:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan. Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. [FIRE-EARTH has documented all of the above listings. See blog content.]

Notes:
i. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.

ii. The counties designated as agricultural disaster areas, as listed above, include both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

iii. Some counties may have been designated as crop disaster areas more than once due to multiple disasters.

iv. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.

v. The disaster designations posted above were approved by USDA on June 17, 2015 (posted on their website on June 19).

Related Links

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• Crop Disasters Declared in Nevada, Utah May 28, 2015
• Crop Disasters Declared in 4 States  May 21, 2015
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• Federal Disasters
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Disaster Declared in 27 Arkansas Counties as Flooding Worsens

Water levels continue to rise in disaster areas

“We are concerned with additional risks since the level of the water is continuing to rise in areas already affected,” said Gov. Hutchinson.

Flooding has severely impacted SW Arkansas and areas along the Arkansas River.

“Severe storms, flooding and tornadoes beginning May 8, 2015 and continuing caused great damage to private property and public-facilities in various jurisdictions in Arkansas; and Adverse circumstances have been brought to bear upon the citizens and public properties within the State,” he said, extending the Disaster Declaration to include 27 counties.

The disaster areas so far include the counties of Chicot, Crawford, Faulkner, Franklin, Garland, Hempstead, Howard, Independence, Izard, Johnson, Lafayette, Little River, Logan, Madison, Marion, Miller, Montgomery, Nevada, Newton, Ouachita, Pike, Polk, Pope, Searcy, Sevier, Scott and Yell.

Texas

At least 167 counties in Texas have have been affected by flooding.

Oklahoma

Governor Fallin has requested a federal disaster declaration for at least 13 counties severely affected by deadly storms and tornadoes.

She amended an Executive Order last week declaring a State of Emergency for all 77 Oklahoma counties.

Deadly Landslide Devastates Colombian Town

Up to a 100 dead or missing, many injured, 1,000 evacuated after landslide

Mudslide tore through the town of Salgar in SW Colombia’s Antioquia department killing at least 65 people and leaving many more  injured, said officials.

Torrential rains flooded river Liboriana causing it to burst its banks, triggering the mudslide, which swept away the neighborhood of Santa Margarita, said local reports.

Meantime, the Colombian President declared a state of Emergency after touring the disaster area on Monday.

• Antioquia Governor said the number of dead was expected to rise, adding that he had no idea how many residents were missing.
• At least 1,000 people have been evacuated.
• More rain is forecast for the region this week.

80 Million Chinese Affected by ‘Natural Disasters’ in July

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC HAZARDS
RISING TEMPERATURES, EXTREME DROUGHT, EARTHQUAKE, LANDSLIDE, HAIL, FLOODING, TYPHOON
SCENARIOS 900,  888, 555, 444, 178, 111, 109, 100, 088, 066, 033, 024, 023, 09, 08, 03, 02
.

Disasters in China cause direct economic losses of $16.34 billion in July

‘Natural disasters’ in July affected more than 80 million Chinese, about 6 percent of the population, forcing at least two million people to relocate and leaving 302 dead, with 64 still missing, said the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA).

In July, China was hit by typhoons, floods and drought. “Hails, earthquakes, mountain collapses, landslides, fires in forests and prairie, and storm tides also occurred during the month,” reported Xinhua.

“Over 107,000 buildings collapsed due to natural disasters, and 8.653 million hectares crops were affected, including 943,100 hectares completely destroyed, with direct economic losses of 100.6 billion yuan (16.34 billion U.S. dollars), the MCA said.”

China Battered by Extreme Rain Events, Deadly Floods, Landslides

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
DEADLY FLOODING
LANDSLIDES
MASS EVACUATIONS
SCENARIOS 070, 023, 09
.

Deadly flooding and landslides plague east, southeast and south China

Extreme rain events in China have triggered deadly flooding and landslides in many areas inundating hundreds of thousands of homes in dozens of towns and hundreds of villages.

Tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes as floodwaters destroy crops, homes, roads and other public infrastructure.

The worst affected areas include Guangdong Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in the south, Jiangxi Province in the east, and Fujian Province in the southeast.

Original caption: Residents go on the street after a flood subsided in Shitan Town of Qingyuan, south China’s Guangdong Province, May 24, 2014. Four people have died and one is still missing in a rain-triggered flood in Qingyuan, local authorities said Saturday. (Xinhua/Tian Jianchuan) More images …

Rhode Island: Step Nearer Collapse?

Serial No  1,527. If any posts are blocked in your country, please drop us a line.

Storm, Rain, Flooding and Unemployment

The ultimate cost of damage in RI could reach a billion, or more, but the military needs the money in Afghanistan.

Unemployment stood near 14 percent even before the deluge began. Many more people now fear losing their jobs and livelihood in the aftermath of the disaster.

President Barracks Obama has already declared a major disaster in all but one Rhode Island county.

The impact of worst flooding in the state’s history, however, may prove a lot costlier than money can afford. How many more seasons like this could Rhode Island survive the collapse?

U.S., the world, stake their future on High-Energy Strategies. Energy models’ simulations show all such strategies end in collapse. EDRO

Related Links:

• US East Coast Inundated by Major Flooding
• A Dry Run for Climate Chaos Heading Our Way
• Global Weather Chaos
• 2010: Year One of Human-Enhanced Disasters
• Continued addiction to oil: More intense, faster paces of climate change

Why Didn’t China Prevent the Loss of 86,000 Lives?

China Regime: As Evil as Evil Comes!

Are Earthquake Predictions in China Political?

The following excerpts are from an article written by Wu Weilin, Epoch Times Staff [ May 28, 2008 ] Full Article

Was the recent devastating earthquake in Sichuan, China predicted before it struck? Did the Chinese regime ignore earthquake warnings and thereby caused the loss of more than 86,000 lives?

“On July 28, 2006, the Director of the China Earthquake Administration, Chen Jianmin, was speaking on a program of the regime’s mouth piece, China’s Central TV station. He stated with certainty that earthquakes were predictable. But immediately after the recent devastation in Sichuan, Chinese officials claimed that the prediction of earthquakes was a tough task worldwide. Another commentator said that earthquake prediction in China is a political issue.” Said Wu Weilin of Epoch Times.

[Wrapping it up!] Soldiers march to scatter disinfectant in Yingxiu town of Wenchuan county, the epicentre of the earthquake, Sichuan province May 26, 2008. REUTERS/Stringer The image may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice!

What Happened to the Predictions?

“According to Chen, China has been predicting earthquakes since the Xingtai earthquake back in 1966, which killed 8,064 people. ‘Through continuous scientific research and information gained from many actual cases, we can make a prediction on a certain type of earthquake.’ However, after the earthquake in Sichuan took place, Zhang Ziaodong from the China Earthquake Networks Center held a press conference at China’s State Department on May 13. At the conference Zhang denied the quake in Sichuan was predictable and said that predicting earthquakes was a ‘difficult task worldwide.'”

Why did the Chinese media stay quiet about this important issue? “A frontline reporter disclosed that Beijing had sent out rules on reporting the earthquake, ‘To propagate positive, constructive news and forbidding criticism and introspective articles.’ Recently, according to our source, Beijing has officially banned discussing the subject of earthquake prediction in public.”

“However, more and more information has indicated accurate prediction on the quake had been presented to Beijing on many occasions. The communist military had also taken preventative measures based on the predictions.”

Predictions Had Saved Lives Before, Why Not This Time?

“Chen also said during an interview with CCTV two years ago, that following an accurate prediction, a quake that took place in China on February 4, 1975, only took 1,300 lives instead of 100,000. Chen also gave examples from overseas, how predicting earthquakes had cut down the number of deaths – only three died in California in 2003 and 40 in Japan in 2004, two countries where earthquake prediction was released before the event.

“By May 24, 2008, the Sichuan quake was estimated to have killed 60,560, injured 352,290, and 26,221 people were still missing, according to information released from China’s State Department. A Chinese social economist, He Qinglian, commented about the difference in speeches coming out of Beijing about quake prediction before and after Sichuan, ‘In China, earthquake prediction is pure science and earthquake forecasting announcement is pure politics. This is how it works in China, whether in the past or present.‘” [emphasis added.]

Related Links:

• The Anguished Cries of China Quake Nurse
• Chinese paratroopers rescuing survivors or preventing plague?
• How Many More Survivors?
• Heavy Death Toll, Corruption, Criminal Incompetence
• Why Was the Girl Removed from Family?

• Chinese Leaders Incapable of Handling Quake Aftermath
• Bigger China Disaster Unfolds

• China’s grieving quake parents start to voice anger
• Beijing’s quick response to disaster won’t cover cracks of corruption
• Almost five million left homeless, China says
• Corruption blamed for rising death toll in China
• Parents’ grief turns to anger at shoddily built deathtrap schools

• Earthquake Predictions In China Are Also Political

./.