State of Disaster Declared in Michigan due to Flooding

19 Michigan counties, two cities declared disaster areas after flooding

Gov. Snyder has declared a state of disaster for 19 counties and two cities—Grand Rapids and Ionia—due to damage caused by flooding to homes, businesses, public facilities and infrastructure.

• The declaration is in response to flooding, which occurred April 9 through May 3.

• Along with Grand Rapids and Ionia, the governor’s disaster declaration also covers the following counties: Baraga, Barry, Benzie, Genesee, Gogebic, Gratiot, Houghton, Ionia, Kent, Keweenaw, Marquette, Mecosta, Midland, Muskegon, Newaygo, Ontonagon, Osceola, Ottawa and Saginaw, according to the Governor’s website.

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Panama Paralyzed by Drought

The Panamanian government declared a drought emergency in four provinces, comprising about 35% of the nation’s territory.

• Panama ordered government offices and private businesses to slash their power consumption, and temporarily closed schools in response to a drought that has decimated the tropical Central American nation’s hydroelectric power supply, which accounts for more than 60% of electricity production, said a report.

• “Opening hours for government offices will be reduced, while supermarkets, bars, cinemas, restaurants, casinos and other night spots would have to close between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. from Monday to Thursday, according to a statement from the president’s office.”
• Private businesses must cut air-conditioning use by 4 hours a day, starting Wednesday.

• “The drought has killed hundreds of cattle, damaged crops, and caused some $200 million in losses in Panama.”

Coastal districts of Los Santos and Guararé, Panama, have been experiencing a drought since 2011. Image source: NewsroomPanama

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State of Emergency Declared in Catawba County, North Carolina

Extreme rain events triggered severe flooding in the High Country of North Carolina, sparking a State of Emergency in Catawba County, said a report.

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State of Emergency Declared in Swan River, Manitoba, CA

The Town of Swan River in Manitoba was under a state of emergency, as of posting, due to rising waters along the banks the Swan River, which was expected to reach flood stage sometime Wednesday, said a report.

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Dhaka building collapse death toll reaches 807

Death toll from the collapse of Rana Plaza, the stricken factory building near the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, has climbed to 807, officials said.

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DISASTER CALENDAR – May 8, 2013 — 
SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,039 Days Left 

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,039 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

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

Extreme Weather Hits Midsection US

Temperatures to plunge 30 degrees below normal, as flooding displaces thousands 

As a strong cold front pushes across the central U.S. on Tuesday, parts of the central & southern Plains can expect winter-like precipitation, stretching from Colorado across Kansas and the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma and into southern Iowa. The precipitation should taper off by Tuesday evening. In addition, temperatures will be as much as 30 degrees below normal across the region on Tuesday. —NWS

Meantime, at least six rivers in Illinois have surged to record levels, inundating homes and businesses and displacing thousands of people, as extreme weather continued across parts of central and southern Plains.

The hardest hit communities, including Elmhurst, Des Plaines, River Forest, Bellwood, Riverside, Moline, Quincy, Bartonville, North Aurora, Marseilles, Ottawa, North Utica and Morris.

“We have seen some of the worst flooding damage to neighborhoods and homes across our state in Illinois history,” said Illinois Governor Quinn, declaring 44 counties state disaster areas.

Counties included in the state disaster declaration are Adams, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Cook, DeKalb, Douglas, DuPage, Fulton, Greene, Grundy, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kendall, Knox, Lake, LaSalle, Livingston, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, Mercer, Morgan, Ogle, Peoria, Pike, Putnam, Rock Island, Schuyler, Scott, Stark, Tazewell, Whiteside, Will, Winnebago and Woodford.

US Weather Hazards Map. Source: NWS

Missouri: Gov. Nixon declared a state of emergency in Missouri on Friday after a strong storm system that included heavy rainfall led to flash flooding in many parts of the state and to rapidly rising rivers levels on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.

“The sustained periods of heavy rainfall has swollen creeks and streams and is pushing the Mississippi River over flood levels, endangering river communities,” declared Nixon.

Flood Warnings

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued Flooding Warnings in parts of at least 16 states, as more rain continued to swell rivers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Mississippi.

• How Homo Ignarus Killed Spring March 21, 2013

• Disaster Diary – April 22, 2013 – City of Grand Rapids Declares a State of Emergency

Disaster Diary – April 22, 2013

Earthquake in China: Up to 208 dead, 11,500 injured, 150,000 displaced, 1.5 million affected

The magnitude 7.0 quake, which struck the mountainous Lushan County of Sichuan Province in SW China on Saturday, has killed up to 208 people (184 bodies recovered, 24 others missing), injured more than 11,500, including about 1,000 serious injuries, left an estimated 150,000 people homeless, and directly affected at least 1.5 million people.

More than 2,300 aftershocks have been recorded in Lushan County as of 4 p.m. Beijing time on Monday, the China Earthquake Administration (CEA) reported; however, only four of the initial shocks were significant, measuring greater than 5.0Mw.

More than 200 major landslides have blocked 57 roads and highways  in 3 areas within the quake damage zone, China’s CCTV reported. The landslides have also severely damaged much of the vegetation in the disaster zone increasing the likelihood of more landslides triggered by rain.

Freeze frame from a CCTV video clip showing one of more than 200 major landslides that have caused 57 road and highway blockages in the quake hit area of Sichuan Province, SW China.

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Nigeria fighting: Scores killed, more than 2,000 homes destroyed

Intense fighting between the Nigerian military forces and Boko Haram militants in Baga, northern Nigeria has reportedly killed about 200 people.

• Much of the town was torched, including some 2,000 homes, causing many of the fatalities. Most of the bodies were charred beyond recognition.
• “Residents of Baga fled into the bush and only returned on Sunday afternoon to find much of the town destroyed and human and animal corpses strewn through the streets,” said a report.
• Since 2009, thousands of people have lost their life in the Boko Haram insurgency.

CHINA: Avian Flu Cases Steadily Rising

China confirmed two new cases of human H7N9 avian influenza in Zhejiang Province. The total number of reported infections stand at 104, including 21 deaths, as of 4:00 pm Monday, Beijing time, said a report.

US: City of Grand Rapids Declares a State of Emergency

Rising Grand River has inundated scores of homes in several western Michigan towns and communities, prompting the authorities to declare states of emergency in Grand Rapids and Kent county.

The mayor of small town of Beardstown, has also declared a state of emergency, as Illinois River water levels continued to rise.

Illinois Gov. Quinn has declared 3 additional counties disaster areas from flooding, raising the disaster declaration total  to at least 41 counties.

Flooding and high water across the Midwesthave been responsible for at least 6 deaths, reports said.

Flooding have been reported in six states, and Flood Warnings were in effect across parts of 14 states, as of posting.

US Flood Map shows 174 locations in flood as of 04/22/2013 at 11:50 am EDT [04/22/2013 15:50 UTC]

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DISASTER CALENDAR – April 22, 2013 —  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,055 Days Left 

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,055 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

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs